Jessica Pegula didn’t talk about tactics, stats, or revenge after sealing what no other woman had been able to do on the WTA Tour Saturday evening. She had just snapped Aryna Sabalenka’s perfect 20-0 run in Wuhan and booked a spot in the final against Coco Gauff. Down a set and trailing deep in the decider, Pegula had clawed her way back to beat the world No. 1 2-6, 6-4, 7-6, setting up an all-American title clash. Yet, minutes after pulling off a comeback that stunned even her, what spilled out was nothing about triumph. 

Pegula seemed caught in the surrealism of the moment. “I can’t believe I came back and won that”. The nerves, she explained, had tested her focus on the court: “I was clearly very nervous when trying to serve; I lost the rhythm, I lost the synchronization, I tried to go too far but I recovered right away in the tiebreak. I stayed super present, played the next point, kept going and tried to think about my strategy and that I needed to focus.”

Her pride was palpable. “I’m very proud of myself. I’ve played a lot of tennis in the last few weeks, so many three-set matches… I feel like I’m really strong right now and I’m making the most of it,” Pegula reflected. Along the way, she notched her 50th victory of 2025, a feat remarkable not just for the number but for her age: at 31, she becomes the oldest player to reach this milestone since Serena Williams in 2015. The match itself was nothing short of epic. 

 Down 2-5 in the final set, Pegula chipped away at the deficit with surgical precision. At 5-3, she forced Sabalenka to serve for the match, clawing back point by point, exploiting changes in pace, and drawing errors to reclaim her place in the contest.

The eleventh game became a thriller. Sabalenka, having recovered from 0-40, still fell to Pegula two points later in a rally so intense it ended with the three-time champion flinging her racquet in frustration, narrowly missing the final shot. Pegula’s focus never wavered, even after missing a pair of match points, including one on a double fault at 40-30.

The decider tiebreak tested every ounce of her composure. Pegula struck first, racing to 3-1 with a disguised backhand drop shot that Sabalenka didn’t bother to chase. A deep, running forehand caught the top seed off guard, giving Pegula a second straight point on return. From that moment, she surged to the finish line, ending a four-match losing streak against Sabalenka that included Miami and US Open heartbreaks.

Now, with the final looming against former doubles partner Coco Gauff, Pegula stands poised, reflecting on the battles behind her and the one ahead. 

Her journey in Wuhan is not just about victories but the fire, grit, and unyielding spirit she brings to every point, ready to etch another unforgettable chapter.

Jessica Pegula shares her thoughts ahead of facing Gauff in the Wuhan final

French Open champion Coco Gauff finds herself in an all-American showdown at the 2025 WTA Wuhan Open, set to face compatriot Jessica Pegula in a high-stakes final. At just 21, Gauff becomes the youngest finalist in the tournament’s history, cruising past Jasmine Paolini in straight sets to secure her spot. This marks Gauff’s fourth final of the season, while Pegula reaches her sixth, each chasing glory and momentum on the hard courts of Wuhan.

For Gauff, the quest is for her first title since lifting the French Open crown at Roland Garros. Pegula, meanwhile, carries the edge in their H2H, holding a 4-2 record over Gauff in six previous WTA clashes. Their rivalry is sharp but respectful, built on battles across courts, time, and tournaments.

This season, they haven’t met yet. Gauff has claimed just one tournament victory, at Roland Garros, while Pegula boasts three, demonstrating her consistency and hunger late in the year. Yet history is never far away; Gauff broke a three-match losing streak against Pegula at last year’s WTA Finals in Riyadh, winning 6-3, 6-2, a statement that still lingers in Pegula’s mind.

Of their six previous encounters, four came on hard courts, where Pegula leads 3-1, underscoring her comfort and experience under these conditions. Yet the young American has proven she can rise in the moment, combining power and poise to shift momentum in crucial matches.

Interestingly, the pair also shares a history as doubles partners for Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics, a reminder of their camaraderie off the singles battlefield. That familiarity adds a subtle, psychological layer to this final, where every rally and tactical choice will be magnified.

Reflecting on the upcoming clash, Pegula said, “It’ll be interesting. I don’t think we’ve ever played in a final. And yeah, I guess we haven’t played since Riyadh, and that didn’t go very well for me.

She crushed me, but obviously, she was playing pretty high level that week. So, yeah, it’s interesting. We haven’t played each other in a while, and we’ve practised a few times here and there when we’re home because we live in the same area, but it’ll, I mean, yeah, it’ll be interesting to see how we’re both playing.”

With the final just hours away, one of them is poised to crown herself champion, continuing America’s dominance on the WTA stage. 

The tension, history, and stakes are palpable, and only one will rise to claim the Wuhan crown.