Jessica Pegula couldn't hide her happiness after getting through an incredibly difficult WTA Finals group and making her second semifinal at the season-ending tournament.
After the groups for this year's WTA Finals were released, Pegula learned she would take on Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff and Jasmine Paolini. On paper, Sabalenka and Gauff were the top two favorites to make it past the group stage.
However, Pegula had her own plans as she launched her campaign in Riyadh with an impressive 6-3 6-7 (4) 6-2 win over Gauff. While the world No. 5 fell short to Sabalenka in three sets in her next match, she still booked a semifinal spot after ousting Paolini 6-2 6-3 in her group-stage finale.
If you have been following the 31-year-old American's results recently, you are aware that the majority of her matches have gone three sets - 10 of the last 13 clashes.
I finally got a straight sets win for the first time in a few months. That always feels really good, but I thought I served really well and just played solid today. I was aggressive when I needed to be. There wasnt much negative today," the world No. 5 said after beating Paolini.
Pegula on surviving 'a crazy' WTA Finals group: It was so competitive... Crazy
"I felt like this year was so competitive. I felt like this group has been so strong all year and we've all had a time of the year where we've played such a high level. I do feel like the level has been crazy, crazy deep this year. It feels a little bit harder than maybe past years," the American noted.
In the WTA Finals semifinal, Pegula will take on Elena Rybakina, who won Group Serena Williams with a perfect 3-0 record. The American leads their head-to-head 3-2 and also won their lone WTA Finals meeting, which came in 2023.
