The Queen of Wuhan has been – temporarily, at least – destroyed.
Jessica Pegula Snapped three times champion defender Aryna Sabalenka winning winning in Wuhan with a 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (1) dramatic victory.
“That was crazy,” Pegula said. “I can’t believe I won it.”
Pegula with the sixth seed took the road to victory. Playing her eight-consecutive three-set match, she gathered by a group, and then from 5-2 down to decision makers. The useless Sabalenka refused to go quietly even then, as she saved two points of match to force a Tiebreak, but she could not stop Pegula in the link set in the final while the American rolled with seven points and converted her third point to reserve her sixth final of 2025.
The victory marks the fifth victory of Pegula over a royal world No.1, after it grabbed a four-match losing an attack against Sabalenka and improves in 3-8 generally against the great champion four times.
Pegula won four direct games in the final set to roll the script in Sabalenka, moving from 2-5 to 6-5 up, but she collapsed in the 12th match, and threw in four double fails to deliver Sabalenka a rescue.
“I was clearly very nervous trying to serve it. I lost my time and lost my rhythm, trying to go a lot.
“I’m really proud of myself. I’ve played so much tennis in the last few weeks – I feel like I’m very hard now and I’m using it as best as I can.”
Pegula will face Coco Gauff in an All-American final on Sunday in Wuhan. Gauff brought Jasmine Paolini 6-4, 6-3 in the first Saturday semifinal.
“It will be great playing Coco in the finals here. We know each other so well, there are no secrets. It is always an honor to play here, especially in a final.”
Gauff is making offers for her third WTA 1000 title.
Pegula holds the 4-2 advantage over gafff, and they have never before met in a final.
Since 1990, Alison Riske has been the player who has played the most successive three sets on the tournament. She played ten in 2019.
