Daijiworld Media Network - Charleston
Charleston, Apr 6: Top seed Jessica Pegula clawed her way into the final of the Charleston Open after a gritty three-set battle against No. 9 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova, securing a 6-2, 2-6, 7-5 win in the semifinals on Saturday.
The intense two-hour, 18-minute contest saw Pegula rally twice from a break down in the deciding set, ultimately sealing her spot in her first Charleston final. The win also marked her 24th WTA main-draw victory of the year, putting her just ahead of world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka.
“She’s beaten me the last couple of times... It took everything today. Maybe a little bit of luck, maybe a little bit of the crowd,” Pegula said after the hard-fought win. “I’m proud that I was able to trust myself and change things up today.”
Pegula now heads into her second consecutive final of the spring season, following her runner-up finish at the Miami Open. She also lifted the WTA 250 title in Austin earlier this year.
She will face compatriot and former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin in Sunday’s final. Kenin advanced after No. 8 seed Amanda Anisimova retired from their semifinal clash due to a right hip injury, with Kenin leading 5-2 in the opening set.
“It’s unfortunate Amanda had to retire, I wish her a speedy recovery. She’s had a great year,” Kenin said.
This marks the first all-American final in Charleston since 1990, when Martina Navratilova defeated Jennifer Capriati.