American tennis star Jessica Pegula demonstrated exceptional resilience on Friday, overcoming a disastrous start to defeat compatriot Amanda Anisimova 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships semifinals. The world number five showcased her championship mentality by reversing momentum after being thoroughly outplayed in the opening set.
The victory extends Pegula’s perfect record against Anisimova to 5-0 and marks her second consecutive win over the 24-year-old following their Australian Open quarterfinal encounter last month. This impressive performance continues Pegula’s remarkable consistency on tour, representing her second WTA final appearance since August 2025, with five additional tournaments during this period resulting in semifinal finishes, including both the US Open and Australian Open.
Pegula attributed her sustained excellence to the intensive training regimen implemented by her coaching team since 2025. This dedication was evident as she weathered Anisimova’s powerful game, which produced seven aces throughout the match. After dropping the first set and falling behind 3-1 in the second, Pegula mounted her comeback with two critical breaks to force a deciding set.
The match’s turning point came in the fourth game of the third set when Pegula secured another break against her younger opponent, ultimately maintaining her composure to close out the victory. Pegula now advances to face the winner of the other semifinal between two-time Grand Slam champion Coco Gauff of the United States and two-time Dubai titleholder Elina Svitolina of Ukraine.
In doubles action, the pairing of Russia’s Vera Zvonareva and Germany’s Laura Siegemund earned their place in the final with a 6-3, 7-6(6) victory over Romanian duo Jaqueline Cristian and Elena-Gabriela Ruse. They will compete for the title against Canadian Gabriela Dabrowski and Brazilian Luisa Stefani, who overcame Aleksandra Krunić and Anna Danilina 4-6, 6-2, 10-6 in their semifinal encounter.