Jessica Pegula has been one of the constant forces in ladies’s tennis for the final three years. The World No. 5 solidified that standing this week in Dubai with 4 High-20 victories, ending her run to the title with a dominant 6-2, 6-4 win over ninth-ranked Elina Svitolina. It marks her tenth WTA title and her fourth on the WTA 1000 stage.
Pegula, 30, is the third American lady to assert the Dubai crown, becoming a member of Lindsay Davenport and Venus Williams.
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Showing in her first Dubai last and her eighth on the WTA 1000 stage, Pegula barely put a foot unsuitable. She opened the pair’s ninth profession assembly with a break of serve and tacked on a second moments later as Svitolina sailed a forehand lengthy.
Svitolina entered with a 4-0 document in WTA 1000 finals and a 19-4 document general in title matches, however the two-time Dubai champion (2017 and 2018) had not gained at this stage since her triumph in Rome in 2018. Pegula, taking part in in her nineteenth WTA last for the reason that begin of 2020, ensured the Ukrainian’s big-title drought continued with a formidable show of attacking tennis.
Within the first battle of thirty-something finalists in match historical past, Svitolina managed to save lots of a set level whereas serving at 1-5 within the first set, however Pegula shortly took care of enterprise within the subsequent recreation, holding at love to shut it out in a breezy 34 minutes.
“If she wins this match, I hope she takes her forehand down the road to a pleasant dinner tonight—perhaps with some good wine and candles,” mentioned Andrea Petkovic, commentating on the match for Tennis Channel.
Pegula, now 13-2 on the season, recorded her thirtieth profession High-10 victory on Saturday and her 53rd High-20 win. She defeated No. 20 Iva Jovic, No. 15 Clara Tauson, and No. 6 Amanda Anisimova to succeed in the ultimate.
Pegula’s 10 WTA Titles
Svitolina could possibly be forgiven for the sluggish begin, given she needed to battle by a 3-hour and 3-minute semifinal with Coco Gauff on Friday. She confirmed extra pep in her step within the second set, however Pegula remained a step forward, attacking the online and knocking off an ideal backhand volley to interrupt for 3-2.
Svitolina tried to stem the tide, hanging shut after saving a pair of break factors whereas serving at 2-4 and a championship level at 3-5, 30-40, however Pegula was just too dialed in.
She closed out the victory on her second match level after 73 minutes of pinpoint precision.
Pegula completed the day with 4 breaks of serve from 11 alternatives, as she gained 18 of 27 second-serve return factors. From the service stripe she held in eight of her 9 service video games.
