Jessica Pegula beats Aryna Sabalenka to chase second Berlin title after rain delay rocks semifinal

Jessica Pegula kept her hopes of a second Berlin crown alive with a dramatic three-set win over world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinals of the 2026 Berlin Tennis Open. The American fought through a long rain delay to win 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-0 and book her place in Sunday’s final.

The match had plenty of twists. Pegula looked in control before weather stopped play, then she produced a ruthless finish to blank Sabalenka in the decider.

Jessica Pegula builds strong lead before the break

Jessica Pegula started well on the grass and took the first set 6-4. She broke serve at key moments and kept Sabalenka under pressure with deep, accurate groundstrokes.

In the second set, she carried that form into the tiebreak. Leading 3-1 in the breaker, Pegula looked set to close out the match in straight sets. Then heavy rain arrived and forced a two-hour, 19-minute delay.

The interruption came at the worst possible time for the American. She lost her rhythm while Sabalenka used the break to regroup.

Aryna Sabalenka fights back after rain delay

When play resumed, Aryna Sabalenka raised her level. She won the tiebreak 7-4 to force a deciding set. For a short while, it looked like the weather had swung the match in the world No. 1’s favour.

Pegula had other ideas. She came out for the third set with renewed focus and never let Sabalenka back into the contest. The American broke early and kept her foot on the gas.

Jessica Pegula blanks Sabalenka to seal victory

Pegula won the final six games in a row. She completely dominated the third set and finished with a 6-0 scoreline that reflected her superior movement and composure on the day.

This was Pegula’s fourth career win over Sabalenka in 13 meetings. Their previous encounters had also been tight, but this one stood out because of the weather interruption and the way Pegula responded.

The victory improves Pegula’s chances of lifting the Berlin trophy for the second time after her 2024 success. It also gives her valuable confidence on grass just weeks before Wimbledon.

Jessica Pegula eyes final

Jessica Pegula reached the final after beating her good friend Madison Keys in the quarterfinals. Aryna Sabalenka had advanced by overcoming Nikola Bartunkova earlier in the week.

The American will now wait for the winner of the delayed second semifinal between Alexandra Eala and Linda Noskova. Whoever wins that match will face Pegula in Sunday’s final.