In a thrilling match, No. 4 seed Jessica Pegula overcame a 6-1, 3-1 deficit to continue her perfect head-to-head record against No. 2 seed Amanda Anisimova, winning the semifinal at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships with scores of 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 after 2 hours and 2 minutes.
Dubai: Scores | Draws | Order of play
Pegula now boasts a 5-0 record against Anisimova, having previously won in matches at the 2020 Western & Southern Open, 2024 Charleston, 2024 Toronto, and last month’s Australian Open quarterfinals. Notably, three of her five victories have come in three sets.
The 31-year-old has reached the final for the 21st time in her WTA Tour career and the 10th time at a WTA 1000 event or higher. She is a three-time WTA 1000 champion, with titles in Guadalajara (2022), Montreal (2023), and Toronto (2024), and has been a finalist at the WTA Finals and US Open.
Pegula will compete for the Dubai title against either No. 3 seed Coco Gauff or No. 7 seed Elina Svitolina. She holds a 5-3 edge over Gauff and Svitolina, including 3-1 and 5-2 records, respectively, on outdoor hard courts.
How did Pegula complete her comeback?
Pegula’s typical match analysis was tempered by her surprise at the early stages of her comeback. “At the start of the third, it was 1-1, and I thought about how just being here was a win,” she remarked. Anisimova’s aggressive play had initially overpowered Pegula, who focused on holding her serve and capitalizing on break points.
There was no single pivotal moment during the match. Pegula gradually fought back throughout the set. Key moments included Anisimova’s missed break point at 6-1, 2-0, which allowed Pegula to hold serve, and Anisimova’s struggle to maintain momentum despite earlier successes. Pegula began to upset Anisimova’s rhythm, ultimately taking command of the match by winning seven out of eight games, concluding with a 4-1 lead in the final set.
Pegula’s Analysis of Her Success Against Anisimova
Pegula expressed her confusion regarding her success against Anisimova, emphasizing their matches are always competitive. However, she provided insight into her strategy, noting her ability to disrupt Anisimova’s game by hitting low, flat balls and mixing up her playstyle. This strategy allowed Pegula to dominate several key points.
Although she remains humble about her winning streak, Pegula acknowledges that her past success gives her confidence in her ability to turn matches around, even when the odds seem against her. “I know what I can do to bother her game,” she concluded. “Once I settled in and gained momentum, I took the opportunity to capitalize on her timing.”
