In a high-stakes showdown at the 2025 WTA Finals in Riyadh, defending champion Coco Gauff saw her title defense come to an end, eliminated from the tournament by World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka with a score of 7-6(5), 6-2.

The match was a winner-takes-all contest for a spot in the semifinals, and despite a fiercely competitive first set where Gauff was giving her all. The victory secured Sabalenka’s perfect 3-0 record in the round-robin stage of the Steffi Graf Group and solidified her position as the player to beat, while for Gauff, the loss marked a costly slip that closed her chapter on the 2025 season finale.

With Gauff’s exit, the mantle of American hopes now rests squarely on the shoulders of Jessica Pegula and Amanda Anisimova, who stand as the nation’s last contenders in the competition. As reported by The Tennis Letter on X, the semifinals are set, and the American duo has successfully navigated the challenging group phase.

The official results confirm that “Elena Rybakina vs Jessica Pegula” and “Amanda Anisimova vs Aryna Sabalenka” will be the final four matchups, with Rybakina and Sabalenka both boasting impeccable 3-0 records in the group stage, while Anisimova and Pegula both posted strong 2-1 records to advance. This sets the stage for a compelling narrative of American resilience against two of the tour’s most formidable power players.

Jessica Pegula’s path to the semifinals was carved out through consistent and determined play. She kept her chances alive with a significant three-set victory over her compatriot Coco Gauff in their opening group match. She then engaged in another thrilling three-set battle against the eventual group winner, Aryna Sabalenka, a match she ultimately lost but which demonstrated her ability to push the world’s best to the limit. She sealed her qualification with a commanding 6-2, 6-3 win over an already-eliminated Jasmine Paolini, showcasing the steady and reliable tennis that has made her a mainstay in the sport’s upper echelon.

For Pegula, this deep run is a testament to her skill and tenacity, and she now carries the expectation of a nation as she prepares to face Elena Rybakina. On the other side of the draw, Amanda Anisimova has scripted a remarkable story of her own to emerge as America’s other last hope. Her journey to the semifinals in the Serena Williams Group was no less dramatic, highlighted by a critical victory, 6-7(7), 6-4, 6-2, over world No. 2 Iga Swiatek.

This triumph is part of an impressive resurgence for Anisimova, who earlier this season rebounded from a heavy defeat in the Wimbledon final to reach the championship match at the US Open. Her semifinal clash is a rematch of the recent US Open final, where she fell to Sabalenka, offering her a chance for redemption on a massive stage. However, one could really see how determined Pegula was following her recent win that locked her place in the semis.

Jessica Pegula had a poker-faced opinion on Coco Gauff vs. Aryna Sabalenka

With Jessica Pegula’s fate sealed, everyone in the tennis world was buzzing about the upcoming match between Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka. It was a big deal, as this high-stakes showdown would decide who gets to join the American in the semifinals. During her on-court interview, Pegula shared her thoughts about the upcoming match and expressed how she hoped it turned out in her favor.

When asked about the match, she said, “Yeah, I think you’re cheering you’re like sometimes the other matches. You’re not really paying attention You’re like, I don’t care. I won like you’re just moving on but I think here you pay attention a little bit more So yeah, I’m probably gonna be yeah watching.”

This statement showed a change from how a player usually thinks about just moving on after finishing their own tasks to becoming someone who really cares and is invested in what’s happening around them. She really highlighted how special this round was. In the end, Sabalenka really took it to Gauff, and now Pegula is set to go up against Elena Rybakina in the semifinals.