WTA Finals: Ons Jabeur beats Jessica Pegula in three sets to avoid exit

The tournament's second seed, who fell to Aryna Sabalenka on the opening night in Fort Worth, Texas, defeated her fellow 28-year-old Jessica Pegula 1-6 6-3 6-3 on Wednesday.

Jabeur was able to turn the screws on Pegula late in the second and third sets, winning the last three games in each to secure the victory.

"After the first set, she was playing really well and really fast," Jabeur told the Tennis Channel.

"The balls were tough, very low - I know she likes to play the balls like that. And I just had to find that click to just change up the rhythm and impose my game."

Defeat would have ensured Jabeur left the tournament after seventh seed Sabalenka's loss to Maria Sakkari in Wednesday's later match.

The Greek world number five needed just one hour and 37 minutes to beat Sabalenka 6-2 6-4, in a marked departure from the nearly three hours she took to achieve victory against the same opponent at the tournament one year earlier.

"If you're not aggressive on this court, then it's just game over," Sakkari said after her match.

"If I was passive, especially against her, the biggest hitter on the tour, then it's just bye-bye. I just went for it. If I'm not going to go for it here, when am I going to do it?"

Thursday's action at the WTA Tour's season finals sees world number one Iga Swiatek take on Caroline Garcia, while Coco Gauff faces Daria Kasatkina and Pegula squares off against Sabalenka.