By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, November 8, 2026Lighting up the purple court with damaging drives, Linda Noskova made an imposing impression on Indian Wells.
In a clash of WTA Finals debutants, Noskova played bold all-court tennis overwhelming alternate Marta Kostyuk 6-2, 6-4 in the Group 1 round-robin opener.
Sporting blue fingernails matching her blue Yonex dress and racquet, Wimbledon winner Noskova painted Kostyuk out of the picture with assertive all-court tennis. Noskova converted all four of her break point chances and pumped 20 winners—four more than Kostyuk—against 20 unforced errors.
“I was enjoying my time today on court,” the Czech said. “I definitely wanted to give this week one last push of the season. It’s a long year. We all are kind of drained and injured and all the things together, but it’s one of the most important tournaments of the year, and I definitely want to enjoy my time on court.
“So I’m not really focusing on forehands, backhands, whatever.”
Roland Garros semifinalist Kostyuk stepped into the draw yesterday after world No. 1 and reigning champion Elena Rybakina pulled out due to health concerns.
Twenty minutes into today’s opener, some fans may have felt compassion for the ball.
Stepping into the court with confidence, a sharp Noskova was cracking clean drives, detonating forehand drive volleys, closing at net and punishing Kostyuk’s serve at the outset.
Playing proactive tennis, Noskova played some serve-and-volley tennis holding for 3-1. An assertive Noskova broke at 15—her third consecutive break—extending her lead to 4-1.
Holding her ground at net, Noskova blocked a backhand volley crosscourt for double set point.
Stepping into the court, Noskova torched a diagonal forehand winner closing a one-set lead.
Playing with clarity and confidence, Noskova was firing flat strikes into the corners as she did in her run to the Indian Wells semifinals last March.
Equally as impressive, was Noskova’s net game. The Czech sometimes followed whiplash flat approaches forward and whispered drop volleys to end points with touch. Noskova knelt low for a fine Martina Hingis-esque forehand drop volley pressuring the Ukrainian’s serve again.
“You see exactly why she won Wimbledon,” Lindsay Davenport said of Noskova as she came to the net to knock off a volley and save a break point in the second set. “So comfortable up there – does not panic.”
The Czech was pushed in the final set, but didn’t surrender serve as she notched her 36th win of 2026.
“I think Noskova looked so good from every area of the court,” said Tracy Austin, who analyzed the match from the Tennis Channel desk. “She was serving well and we know that she’s one of the biggest servers, and Kostyuk had six double faults and didn’t hold until the seventh game of the opening set – she was just under pressure the entire time.”
Feeling the stress as the Wimbledon winner prowled inside the baseline waiting to pounce on returns, Kostyuk knocked her fifth double fault into net ceding the break and a 3-2 second-set lead to Noskova.
Staring down break point in the eighth game, Noskova met the stress test moving forward with conviction.
Hammering a forehand drive volley to set up a backhand angled volley, Noskova erased break point. The WTA Finals debutant drilled another crackling forehand drive volley holding for 5-3.
Despite netting an under-arm serve attempt, Kostyuk flicked a forehand pick-up off a biting return, holding with a smile in the ninth game.
Noskova cranked a crosscourt forehand winner to close her third win in four meetings vs. Mutua Madrid Open champion Kostyuk in 86 minutes. Noskova leads Group 1 of the round-robin event with 2024 champion Coco Gauff set to face former doubles partner Jessica Pegula in the day’s second Group 1 match.
Two-time Grand Slam champion Gauff is the only former WTA Finals champion in this field.
Noskova, who celebrates her 22nd birthday on November 17th, will play either Pegula or Gauff on Tuesday.
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