Jessica Pegula faced a massive roadblock in her bid for a second Berlin title in the form of Aryna Sabalenka, but she navigated it with poise, dispatching the World No. 1 in three sets Saturday.
Berlin: Scores | Order of play | Draws
After leading 3-1 in the second-set tiebreak before a 2-hour, 19-minute rain delay washed away her momentum and handed it to Sabalenka, the 2024 Berlin champion responded with a flawless finish. Pegula won the final six games, blanking Sabalenka in the decider to close out a 6-4, 6-7 (4), 6-0 victory and secure a spot in the final.
It marked just her fourth win over Sabalenka in 13 WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz meetings, though that record undersells the intensity of their rivalry. Their previous three matches before Saturday all went the distance.
This match was no different
More to come…