Barbora Krejcikova earns redemptive win at WTA Finals, Jessica Pegula eliminated in Riyadh

Barbora Krejcikova closed the deal this time to stay in the hunt for the 2024 WTA Finals trophy, defeating Jessica Pegula, 6-3, 6-3 to win her first round-robin match of the week.

"I definitely enjoyed it very much, and I'm really pleased with how I played today," Krejcikova said on court after the match. "I was fighting for every ball and knew I had to play my best tennis. So, I was trying to play that and be really solid to put as many balls to the other side as I could."

Krejcikova failed to convert a set and double-break advantage on defending champion Iga Swiatek in her first match but the No. 8 seed improved to 1-1 in Orange Group play after 70 minutes against the sixth-seeded American on Riyadh’s Center Court.

The straight-set result means that Pegula is eliminated from semifinal contention. If Swiatek defeats Coco Gauff in the second match on Tuesday, Swiatek will advance as the group winner, and Krejcikova will play Gauff for second place.

A WTA Finals doubles champion in 2021, Krejcikova earned a late berth into the WTA Finals. The former world No. 2 booked her ticket to Riyadh in by virtue of winning her second Grand Slam title at Wimbledon early this year despite not finishing in the Top 8 in the PIF Race to the Finals standings.

"I'm definitely proud. I had some very high parts to the season, especially winning the Wimbledon title. It was something that was really indescribable. Right now, to be here is a huge privilege to be playing in the Final Eight. It's very nice to get a win and still be part of the event."

Though she arrived with a 1-3 record since the US Open, the Czech hit the ground running against Swiatek when she took a set and 3-0 lead on the former world No. 1.

Though Swiatek ultimately turned the tables on Krejcikova, the 28-year-old appeared unaffected early in her second match against Pegula, who reached her first major final at the US Open two months ago. Pegula lost in straight sets to Gauff in her first match but has proven strong in this format before, having finished runner-up to Swiatek at the Cancun edition of the tournament in 2023.

Krejcikova and Pegula split their only previous meetings, both in 2023, and the two appeared on even footing after six holds of serve to start the match. The 2021 Roland Garros champion dug in from there, breaking Pegula twice to sweep the opening set out from under her and ease ahead by an early break in the second.

Shades of the Swiatek match emerged when Pegula navigated a long third game to get the second set back on serve, but Krejcikova was undeterred, breaking straight back on holding on to put herself two games from victory.

As the match hit the one-hour mark, Krejcikova thumped a service winner to clinch a hold at love as the finish line appeared in sight. Pegula gamely served to stay in the match and kept pressure on Krejcikova by opening up a 0-30 lead as the Czech served for the match. But Krejcikova kept pressing, erasing the deficit and getting to match point with a well-struck overhead. Pegula saved the first but Krejcikova quickly earned a second, tracking a short return to secure a crucial straight-sets victory.

In all, Krejcikova struck a solid 22 winners to 32 unforced errors but it was a flat day for Pegula, who managed only six winners and one break of serve over two sets.

Krejcikova will play her final round-robin match against Gauff. Their only previous match came at Roland Garros in 2021, where Krejcikova upset the American en route to her maiden major victory. Pegula will end her round-robin campaign against Swiatek with a chance to make the semifinals only if Swiatek doesn’t defeat Gauff later on Tuesday.