In a thrilling display of resilience and skill, Aryna Sabalenka triumphed over Jessica Pegula during the WTA Finals, maintaining her unbeaten streak and inching closer to semifinals glory.
On Thursday, Sabalenka showcased an impressive balance between precision and power, ultimately securing a hard-fought victory in a dramatic three-set match. The confrontation took place at the King Saud University Indoor Arena, where Sabalenka rallied from a break deficit in the final set to overcome Pegula, winning 6–4, 2–6, 6–3 after just over two hours of intense competition.
This victory marks Sabalenka's ninth triumph in their last twelve encounters; however, the stats don't fully capture the escalating competitive nature of their rivalry. Notably, each of their recent three matches has gone the distance, attesting to the intensity of their clashes.
"She always pushes me to my limits," remarked Sabalenka in her post-match interview. "In the second set, I felt she was playing some phenomenal tennis. Moving into the third set, I told myself to aggressively pursue my shots and regain the momentum by applying pressure to her speed, hoping to open up my opportunities.
"And indeed, she really challenged me, which I relish. Competing against her is no easy feat; it always results in thrilling matches with remarkable points, and I’m genuinely thrilled with this win."
While this victory does not automatically secure Sabalenka's place in the semifinals, she is certainly in a favorable position, sitting as the lone 2-0 player in the Stefanie Graf Group. With Jasmine Paolini eliminated from contention, the spotlight now turns to Sabalenka, Pegula, and Coco Gauff—who is set to be Sabalenka’s next opponent—all vying for advancement.
In the lead-up to further matches, anticipation builds as Iga Swiatek and Amanda Anisimova prepare for a critical winner-takes-all duel.
Meanwhile, Coco Gauff managed to overcome Paolini in straight sets, keeping her alive in the ongoing WTA Finals.
The match witnessed several key moments; after overcoming an early break point threat, Sabalenka drew first blood by converting her fourth opportunity into a forehand winner, establishing a 4-2 lead. Following this, she held her serve and expanded her advantage to 5-2.
Despite this, Pegula fought back fiercely, saving a set point and breaking Sabalenka just as she served for the set, narrowing the score to 5-4. Yet, Sabalenka exhibited persistence, eventually clinching the first set after converting her fifth set point in just 45 minutes.
During the second set, Sabalenka maintained pressure on Pegula’s serve, but it was Pegula who capitalized, breaking Sabalenka at love during her second service game and again later in the set, taking a commanding 5-2 lead.
Sabalenka, needing to win the second set to secure her lead in the Stefanie Graf Group before the Thursday matches, found herself with additional break points in the concluding game. However, Pegula managed to save both, sealing the set with three impressive forehand winners to force a deciding third set.
Pegula struck early in the final set as well, breaking Sabalenka to take a 2-1 lead, positioning herself for yet another comeback against Sabalenka who was struggling with her first serve—starting the set at a disappointing 3-for-14 and grappling with multiple double faults.
But as she often does in high-stakes moments, Sabalenka found her rhythm, displaying a level of play that few on the WTA Tour can match. Her first serve regained potency, her errors transformed into stunning winners, and importantly, her fierce determination shone through.
Soon, she claimed four consecutive games, surging to a 5-2 lead, and when it was time to serve for the match, she didn’t falter, sealing her victory with a final forehand winner that brought her to her knees in joy, inching her closer to securing a spot in the last four.
Looking ahead, this win marks Sabalenka's impressive 61st victory of the season, alongside her 13th win against a top-10 opponent—the highest in a single season since Iga Swiatek's 15 wins in the 2022 season.
Next up, she's set to face Gauff in what promises to be a gripping contest; a win here would elevate her total to 14 and level their head-to-head record, which currently sees Gauff leading at 6-5.
Should Sabalenka succeed, she would finalize her position at the top of the Stefanie Graf Group with a flawless 3-0 record and secure her progression to the semifinals in Riyadh. However, a defeat would still leave her in a strong situation but would remain contingent on additional outcomes.
What are your thoughts? Do you believe Sabalenka can overcome Gauff and continue her winning streak? Or are we witnessing the emergence of a new rivalry with Pegula and Gauff stepping up? Share your opinions below!
