Jessica Pegula produced a sensational comeback to end Aryna Sabalenka’s flawless run at the Wuhan Open, triumphing 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7/2) in a dramatic semi-final encounter. The victory secured an all-American final against Coco Gauff, who earlier defeated Jasmine Paolini 6-4, 6-3.
Pegula, who has been in remarkable form over the past few weeks, fought through her eighth consecutive three-set match and showed extraordinary resilience. Trailing 2-5 in the final set against the world number one, the sixth seed rallied impressively to complete one of her most memorable wins of the season.
“Honestly, that was crazy. I can’t believe I came back and won that,” said Pegula after sealing the match. The 31-year-old has now won seven of her last eight three-set battles, underlining her growing toughness and endurance on court.
Sabalenka, the defending champion, entered the clash with a perfect 20-0 record in Wuhan but was unable to maintain her dominance in cooler and slower conditions. Both players struggled with their serves in the early stages, exchanging five breaks in the opening six games. Sabalenka eventually steadied herself to claim the first set 6-2, capitalizing on Pegula’s frustration and inconsistency on serve.
The American, however, regrouped in the second set, striking cleanly from the baseline and using her powerful groundstrokes to level the match. Despite losing a 2-0 lead early on, Pegula regained control to push the contest into a decisive set.
The final set saw momentum shift repeatedly. Sabalenka appeared on course for victory when she served at 5-3, but Pegula broke back and surged ahead 6-5. Serving for the match, Pegula faltered with four double faults, allowing Sabalenka to force a tiebreak. In the decider, Pegula elevated her game once more to seal a famous victory—her third in eleven meetings with the Belarusian.
In the other semi-final, Coco Gauff overcame a tough challenge from Italy’s Jasmine Paolini to book her place in the final. Gauff, who had lost all three of her previous meetings with Paolini this season, turned the tables with a composed performance, despite battling through a series of service breaks.
The 21-year-old is now through to her third WTA 1000 final of the year and will face Pegula in what promises to be a thrilling all-American showdown for the Wuhan Open crown.
