Fourth-seeded Jessica Pegula completed quite the comeback on Friday to advance to the final of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
Pegula overcame dropping the first set and falling behind 3-1 in the second to record a 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory versus second-seeded Amanda Anisimova in the WTA 1000 tournament in the United Arab Emirates.
Pegula set up Saturday’s championship match against seventh-seeded Elina Svitolina of the Ukraine, who outlasted third-seeded Coco Gauff with a 6-4, 6-7 (13), 6-4 victory. Pegula has won five of her eight all-time meetings against Svitolina, who returned to the Dubai final for the first time since winning the event in both 2017 and 2018.
As for Friday’s match, Pegula overcame seven aces by Anisimova and benefited from four double faults to end the contest in 2 hours and 2 minutes.
“At the start of the third, it was 1-1,” Pegula said. “I just looked at my coach and I was like, ‘I’m just happy I’m still even here right now.’ She was playing some incredible tennis, and I just came out a little slow. And when you come out slow against Amanda, she can really just wipe you off the court, which is what she was doing.
“I held on to my serve there in the second set. I just kept telling myself that. I had some break points in the first set, even though it was convincingly the other way, and I knew I could get some break points back. That’s really all I was focusing on.”
Pegula improved to 5-0 all-time versus Anisimova.
“It’s a really tough matchup,” Pegula said. “It’s not like we have easy matches. We have battles every single time.”
The setback was a stunning one for Anisimova, who rallied from a set down to notch a 2-5, 7-5, 7-6 (4) victory over defending champion Mirra Andreeva of Russia on Thursday.
Svitolina recorded three aces and benefited from 12 double faults by a frustrated Gauff to end Friday’s match in 3 hours and 3 minutes.
“I’ve been doing everything you’ve wanted for the last 6 months,” Gauff said to someone in her coaching box after one double fault midway through the second set.
Meanwhile, Svitolina will compete in her third Dubai final.
“Speechless after that fight,” Svitolina said. “I was really trying to put myself out there, and I was playing like there is no tomorrow, just trying to put all the effort in.
“Thank you so much for all your support. It’s really, really special to be in the final again here after a few years and to have another chance to lift that beautiful trophy.”
–Field Level Media
