Tennis

Barbora Krejcikova's WTA Finals campaign received a much-needed boost as she defeated Jessica Pegula in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3, in their round-robin match. The victory keeps Krejcikova in contention for a spot in the semifinals.Krejcikova, the No. 8 seed, had lost her opening match to defending champion Iga Swiatek despite taking an early lead. However, she showed resilience against Pegula, the sixth seed, breaking her twice in the first set and once in the second to secure the win.The match started evenly, with both players holding serve for the first six games. Krejcikova then seized control, breaking Pegula twice in a row to take the opening set. She continued her momentum in the second set, breaking Pegula early and holding on to her serve to maintain her advantage.Pegula fought back in the third game of the second set, breaking Krejcikova's serve to get back on level terms. However, Krejcikova responded immediately, breaking back in the next game and holding on to her serve to put herself two games away from victory.Krejcikova served for the match at 5-3, but Pegula saved two match points to keep her hopes alive. However, Krejcikova remained composed and secured the victory on her third match point.The win puts Krejcikova in a strong position to qualify for the semifinals. If Swiatek defeats Coco Gauff in the second match of the day, Swiatek will advance as the group winner, Pegula will be eliminated, and Krejcikova will face Gauff for the second place.Krejcikova's victory is a testament to her fighting spirit and determination. Despite losing her first match, she refused to give up and played with great intensity and focus against Pegula. She will now look to carry this momentum into her final round-robin match against Gauff.

The WTA Finals, the season-ending tournament for the top eight women's tennis players, has unveiled its draw for 2024. World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and No. 2 Iga Swiatek will lead their respective round-robin groups.Sabalenka, who regained the top ranking after winning the US Open and Dongfeng Voyah Wuhan Open, will headline the Purple Group. Joining her are No. 4 seed Jasmine Paolini, No. 5 seed Elena Rybakina, and No. 7 seed Zheng Qinwen.Swiatek, the reigning WTA Finals champion, will lead the Orange Group. She will be joined by No. 3 seed Coco Gauff, No. 6 seed Jessica Pegula, and No. 8 seed Barbora Krejcikova.Sabalenka, who won two Grand Slams in 2024, will be looking to avenge her loss to Swiatek in last year's semifinals. Swiatek, who has won four Roland Garros titles, will be aiming to defend her WTA Finals crown.The 2024 WTA Finals will be held at the King Saud University Indoor Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The tournament will run from November 2 to 9, with round-robin play beginning on Saturday, November 2.