WTA Finals | From last gasp qualification to Final as Elena Rybakina remains undefeated in Riyadh with Jessica Pegula win

Elena Rybakina before the tournament began was very much the last cab off the rank as the final player to qualify but the one with momentum as she reached the latter stages in Tokyo and won Ningbo to seal her spot and that has proven at the WTA Finals.

Rybakina claimed it 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 and will now face Amanda Anisimova or Aryna Sabalenka in the final this weekend after a superb masterclass against Jessica Pegula who lost from a set up. But it is Rybakina who hit 15 aces, claimed a 10th consecutive win and has now won her last six meetings against top 10 players that moves into the Championship Match.

To start the tie, Rybakina mishit a volley at the net on her way to 0-30 down. But she kept herself in the game with a volley. Pegula hooked a return on to the line and earn two break points as she made it 2-1.

The game drew level as Rybakina landed a forehand on the line and it returned to serve. Pegula mixed up her return lengths earning a break point that Rybakina dug in to save albeit Pegula broke in the next rally and Pegula stopped the run digging in to seal the hold extending the points and drawing mistakes from her opponent.

Rybakina ended her poor run on serve holding to 15 and Pegula saw out another two service games to take the first set claiming it 6-4. Rybakina headed off court in between sets to gather her thoughts and returned with fresh impetus. Rybakina quickly moved 0-30 up, then hit a forehand into the corner for three break points.

Pegula responded well, hitting a forehand into the corner as she battled back to deuce. She mixed up her serve, hit a short return and held serve at 1-1. Rybakina though moved 3-1 up breaking serve and then surging 4-1 up. New balls and a new racquet for Rybakina as she looked to power through to the set, she went 5-2 up and despite a late wobble, Rybakina moved past five minutes and had another break and set point. Her return forced Pegula wide and presented her with a chance to hit a winner into the corner for 6-4.

Onto the final set and Rybakina carried that momentum forward. She raced through another service hold albeit next up she had to rescue a break point in a scrappy game chasing down a looping return to put away the volley but Pegula had another chance as her opponent sent a forehand long. A second break point was saved with clean hitting and an ace out wide helped her out of trouble at 2-1.

Another double fault for Rybakina but it went unpunished as Pegula missed a gettable shot and then can't return a spinning serve out wide. Two winners in succession put her in charge and an error from Pegula handed over two break points. A first ace from Pegula was hit but a weak second serve was punished by Rybakina and she went 4-2 up. Pegula looked despondent as she dropped serve but dug out a backhand return and then read Rybakina to send a winner down the line. She broke as Rybakina's forehand misfired.

Albeit Pegula hanging on couldn't do so any longer. Rybakina won a superb forehand exchange. Pegula threw down her racquet into frustration and a forehand hit off-balance slaps into the net. After a net-cord, Pegula got some revenge as it went her way to open the next game but Rybakina was let off the hook and she crashed down an ace down the middle. Rybakina hit a superb first serve to seal it with a slice return to follow just beyond the line.