World No. 1 and defending champion Elena Rybakina was handed a tough path to the knockout stage of the WTA Finals Indian Wells at Tuesday’s draw.

The 27-year-old has been paired with American duo Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula and Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova in Group 1.

Gauff won the WTA Finals in 2024 and Pegula finished runner-up to Iga Swiatek in 2023. Noskova will make her debut at the season finale after her breakout season, which included winning Wimbledon and reaching the BNP Paribas Open semi-finals.

Rybakina, who fell to Aryna Sabalenka in the Indian Wells championship match in March, seeks to successfully defend the WTA Finals title for the first time since Serena Williams did it in 2013-14.

“I’m feeling excited,” she said at the draw ceremony. “It’s definitely different every year. Now we’re playing outside. It’s a lot of tough players, all great champions.”

Two-time finalist Aryna Sabalenka, who fell to Rybakina in last year's WTA Finals title match, headlines Group 2 as she returns to the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, where she won the title in March.

Sabalenka is grouped with 2025 Indian Wells and 2026 Roland Garros champion Mirra Andreeva, 2018 WTA Finals champion Elina Svitolina and Czech debutant Karolina Muchova.

In Doubles Group 1 top seeds Gabriela Dabrowski and Luisa Stefani are joined by Guo Hanyu and Kristina Mladenovic, Hsieh Su-Wei and Jelena Ostapenko as well as Zhang Shuai and Elise Mertens. 

Dabrowski won the 2024 title with Australian Erin Routliffe. Mertens won last year's title and the 2022 title with Veronika Kudermetova. Mladenovic is a two-time champion with Timea Babos.

In Doubles Group 2, 2026 BNP Paribas Open champions Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend will lead the group after Townsend regained fitness following recent appendicitis. Also in the group are Cristina Bucsa and Nicole Melichar-Martinez, Demi Schuurs and Ellen Perez as well as Italians Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini.

Singles Group 1
Elena Rybakina (KAZ)
Coco Gauff (USA)
Jessica Pegula (USA)
Linda Noskova (CZE)

Singles Group 2
Aryna Sabalenka
Mirra Andreeva
Elina Svitolina (UKR)
Karolina Muchova (CZE)

Doubles Group 1
Gabriela Dabrowski (CAN)/Luisa Stefani (BRA)
Guo Hanyu (CHN)/Kristina Mladenovic (FRA)
Hsieh Su-Wei (TPE)/Jelena Ostapenko (LAT)
Zhang Shuai (CHN)/Elise Mertens (BEL)

Doubles Group 2
Katerina Siniakova (CZE)/Taylor Townsend (USA)
Cristina Bucsa (ESP)/Nicole Melichar-Martinez (USA)
Demi Schuurs (NED)/Ellen Perez (AUS)
Sara Errani (ITA)/Jasmine Paolini (ITA).

Sunday, 8 November 2026
Women's Singles – Round Robin

Match 1 – 12 noon
[1] Elena Rybakina (KAZ) vs [8] Linda Noskova (CZE)

Match 2 – Followed by
[4] Coco Gauff (USA) vs [5] Jessica Pegula (USA)

Women's Doubles – Round Robin

Match 3 – Followed by
[2] Katerina Siniakova (CZE) / Taylor Townsend (USA) vs [8] Sara Errani (ITA) / Jasmine Paolini (ITA)

Match 4 – Followed by
[4] Cristina Bucsa (ESP) / Nicole Melichar-Martinez (USA) vs [6] Ellen Perez (AUS) / Demi Schuurs (NED)

Monday, November 9
Women's Singles – Round Robin

Match 1 – 12 noon
[2] Aryna Sabalenka vs [7] Karolina Muchova (CZE)

Match 2 – Followed by
[3] Mirra Andreeva vs [6] Elina Svitolina (UKR)

Women's Doubles – Round Robin

Match 3 – Followed by
[1] Gabriela Dabrowski (CAN) / Luisa Stefani (BRA) vs [7] Elise Mertens (BEL) / Shuai Zhang (CHN)

Match 4 – Followed by
[3] Hanyu Guo (CHN) / Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) vs [5] Su-Wei Hsieh (TPE) / Jelena Ostapenko (LAT)

Order of play is subject to change at the discretion of the WTA Supervisor.