Jessica Pegula rallies past Amanda Anisimova; advances to Dubai final after tense all-American semi-final battle

Jessica Pegula staged a remarkable comeback to defeat Amanda Anisimova 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 in a high-stakes all-American showdown at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Friday (February 20). The fourth seed Pegula trailed heavily early, dropping the first set 1-6 and falling behind 3-1 in the second, but her composure and tactical adjustments turned the match around in a tense 2-hour, 2-minute battle.

What happened in the match?

Amanda Anisimova, the second seed, started aggressively, overpowering Jessica Pegula with strong groundstrokes and precise serving. She raced through the opening set, winning it 6-1, showcasing her form after upsetting defending champion Mirra Andreeva in the quarterfinals. Anisimova's early break in the second set pushed her lead to 3-1, putting Pegula on the brink.

However, Pegula, ranked world No. 5, refused to surrender. She tightened her returns, reduced unforced errors, and began exploiting Anisimova's second serve. Breaking back crucially, Pegula levelled the second set and clinched it 6-4 with solid serving under pressure. The momentum shift was evident as Anisimova's frustration mounted.

In the decisive third set, Pegula built a comfortable lead, breaking early and holding firm to close it out 6-3. Her ability to win key points in longer rallies proved decisive, extending her head-to-head dominance over Anisimova to 5-0 and securing her spot in the final, her 21st career WTA final.

Jessica Pegula vs Amanda Anisimova head-to-head details

This win extends Jessica Pegula's perfect head-to-head record against Anisimova to 5-0. Previous victories include the 2020 Western & Southern Open second round, 2024 Charleston second round, 2024 Toronto final, and last month's Australian Open quarterfinals. Notably, three of these five encounters went to three sets, highlighting the competitive nature of their rivalry.

Milestone final for Jessica Pegula

With this victory, Jessica Pegula advances to her 21st career WTA final and her 10th at the WTA 1000 level or higher. She boasts three WTA 1000 titles, including Guadalajara 2022, Montreal 2023, and Toronto 2024.

Pegula has also finished runner-up at four other WTA 1000 events, Madrid 2022, Cincinnati 2024, Miami 2025, and Wuhan 2025, plus the 2023 WTA Finals in Cancun and the 2024 US Open.

This marks her first final of the 2026 season, boosting her record to an impressive start.

Jessica Pegula's path to the title

Jessica Pegula now sets her sights on the Dubai title, which would be her first in this prestigious WTA 1000 event. She will face either No. 3 seed Coco Gauff or No. 7 seed Elina Svitolina in the final.