Wuhan: Pegula Advances to Final After Battle Against Sabalenka

Trailing 2-5 in the third set, Jessica Pegula staged a remarkable comeback to defeat world number one Aryna Sabalenka.

Some victories have a different flavor than others. Down 2-5 in the final set against Aryna Sabalenka, the world number one who was on a 20-0 winning streak in Wuhan, the 31-year-old American player dug deep into her mental and physical resources to complete a comeback: 2-6, 6-4, 7-6, after a high-intensity duel.

With this victory, Pegula reaches her 7th WTA 1000 final, her second this season, solidifying a status that is too often underestimated. She also becomes the third player aged 30 or older to reach multiple WTA 1000-level finals in consecutive seasons, after Martina Navratilova and Serena Williams. Nothing less.

Until this match, Sabalenka was nearly invincible in Wuhan. Three titles. Twenty consecutive wins. A perfect record. But tonight, she found someone mentally stronger, calmer, and more opportunistic. Despite dominating the first set and then holding a comfortable lead in the decisive set, the Belarusian player crumbled at the most crucial moment.

In the final, Pegula will face her compatriot and world number three: Cori Gauff. She leads 4-2 in their head-to-head matchups.