In a gripping encounter at the Charleston Open, top seed Jessica Pegula eked out a hard-fought victory against Ekaterina Alexandrova, winning 6-2, 2-6, 7-5 in a semifinal filled with dramatic twists. With this triumph on Saturday, Pegula has earned a spot in her fourth championship match of the season, where she’ll face fellow American Sofia Kenin.
At first, Pegula appeared set for a smooth run as she dominated the opening sequence by bagging the first five games. However, the match took an unexpected turn as Alexandrova mounted a comeback, forcing Pegula to dig deep into her skill set. Ultimately, Pegula closed out the match with a stunning backhand down the line.
Earlier in the day, Kenin progressed after Amanda Anisimova had to retire due to injury during their first set.
Reflecting on her win, Pegula shared with the Tennis Channel, “It was a real grind. Not the most elegant match at times, with the wind causing all sorts of problems. We both struggled with awkward, swirling conditions. It was really about staying calm, moving well, and just fighting through it.”
The tension was palpable from the start, as Pegula broke Alexandrova in the first game courtesy of a backhand winner. Alexandrova’s double fault in the third game handed Pegula another break. The players exchanged breaks in a competitive fifth and sixth game. Alexandrova then found her stride in the second set, breaking Pegula’s serve twice, once with an impressive forehand on set point.
In the decisive final set, both players broke each other’s serves three times before Pegula leveraged an excellent backhand at the net in the 11th game to prompt an error from Alexandrova, sealing the match after two hours and twenty-one minutes. This win marks Pegula’s 24th match victory this year, making her the leader in match wins on the WTA tour.
As for Anisimova, she hoped to build upon her early 2023 successes, including breaking a three-year title drought in Doha. However, her day was cut short after injury struck. Anisimova was trailing by a break in the fourth game when she suddenly pulled back, struggling to move and eventually calling for a physio timeout. Despite receiving treatment for what seemed to be a hip injury, she could not continue, withdrawing from the match with Kenin leading 5-2.
This sets up an exciting all-American final at the Charleston Open, something that hasn’t happened since 1990 in this prestigious North American women-only tournament.
