Pegula and Svitolina power into Saturday’s Dubai decider
American overturns set deficit as Ukrainian survives three-hour thriller
DUBAI – World No. 5 Jessica Pegula will face two-time champion Elina Svitolina in Saturday’s showpiece final at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships after both players emerged from absorbing semi-final battles at Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium.
Pegula produced a stirring fightback to defeat fellow American Amanda Anisimova 1-6, 6-4, 6-3, recovering from a set and a break down to reach the Dubai final for the first time in her career. Hours later, Svitolina outlasted World No. 4 Coco Gauff in a contest lasting more than three hours, prevailing 6-4, 6-7(13), 6-4 to keep alive her pursuit of a third Dubai crown and her first WTA 1000 title since 2018.
Pegula’s revival
Under the lights on Centre Court, it was World No. 6 Anisimova who initially dictated proceedings in the first of Friday’s semi-finals. Seeking a first Tour victory over Pegula at the fifth attempt, the 24-year-old made a blistering start, breaking in game two and again in game six with a barrage of heavy groundstrokes.
The opening set was wrapped up in just 28 minutes, Anisimova’s precision and pace leaving Pegula scrambling. With confidence flowing, she extended her advantage at the start of the second set, breaking immediately to surge into a 6-1, 3-1 lead. At that stage, the New Jersey native appeared firmly on course to become the first woman since Monica Seles in 2003 to reach the finals in both Doha and Dubai in the same season.
The match carried added resonance as the first all-American semi-final in Dubai since 2009, when sisters Venus Williams and Serena Williams met at the same stage. On this occasion, Pegula summoned similar resolve.
Having struggled to find rhythm in the opening exchanges, the 31-year-old began to recalibrate her serve and extend rallies. She steadied herself with crucial holds, gradually applying pressure on Anisimova’s delivery. As the second set wore on, the momentum shifted. Pegula broke back, levelled at 4-4, and then asserted control with confident serving to force a decider.
The turnaround was rooted in consistency. During the longest exchanges, Pegula’s depth and discipline forced errors from her opponent’s forehand wing. Drawing on recent experience, including her straight-sets quarter-final win over Anisimova at January’s Australian Open, she tightened her grip on the contest.
In the third set, Pegula’s composure proved decisive. She broke to lead 4-2 and consolidated with a series of assured service games. When Anisimova’s forehand sailed long on match point, Pegula dropped her racquet and raised her arms in celebration, sealing her place in a maiden Dubai final.
Svitolina’s grit
If Pegula’s victory showcased resilience, Svitolina’s semi-final was a test of endurance. Facing Gauff, the Ukrainian had to navigate momentum swings, missed opportunities and a dramatic second-set tiebreak before finally closing out victory.
Svitolina claimed the opening set 6-4 with measured baseline control, absorbing Gauff’s pace and countering with precision. The second set proved pivotal. Serving for the match at 5-4, she was unable to convert, and the contest moved into a gripping tiebreak that stretched deep into extended points. Gauff saved five match points before edging it 15-13 to force a decider.
Despite the setback, Svitolina reset impressively. Drawing on her experience, including back-to-back Dubai titles in 2017 and 2018, she steadied in the third set. The 31-year-old broke at a crucial juncture and maintained her focus to close out a 6-4 final set, completing victory after more than three hours on court.
The win continues an encouraging run for the former World No. 3, who returned to competition following the birth of her daughter Skai and has steadily rebuilt her ranking to World No. 9. Her triumph over Gauff mirrored their meeting at last month’s Australian Open, where Svitolina also prevailed.
For Gauff, there were positives despite the defeat. The American, who entered the tournament seeking further momentum ahead of the US hard-court swing, demonstrated resilience in saving multiple match points and extending the contest to its limits.
Doubles drama
Saturday’s doubles final will feature a compelling contrast between established pedigree and seasoned resurgence. Fifth seeds Gabriela Dabrowski and Luisa Stefani advanced after a spirited comeback against fourth seeds Aleksandra Krunic and Anna Danilina. The Canadian-Brazilian pairing recovered from a set down to win 4-6, 6-2, 10-6 in the match tiebreak.
Dabrowski, a two-time Grand Slam doubles champion, and Stefani, an Olympic bronze medallist, combined power with sharp net play to overturn the deficit and secure their place in the title match.
Awaiting them are unseeded veterans Vera Zvonareva and Laura Siegemund. Zvonareva, 41, rolled back the years alongside Siegemund, 37, as the pair defeated Jaqueline Cristian and Elena-Gabriela Ruse 6-3, 7-6(6) in straight sets.
Zvonareva, a three-time Grand Slam doubles champion, and Siegemund, who partnered her to the US Open title in 2020, demonstrated poise under pressure in a tightly contested second-set tiebreak. Their experience proved decisive in key moments, setting up a final against the fifth seeds.
Tournament stage
The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships is owned and organised by Dubai Duty Free and is held under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
The women’s WTA 1000 event will be followed by the emirate’s annual ATP 500 men’s tournament from February 23 to 28, continuing a fortnight of elite tennis at the venue.
Multiple ticket categories remain available for the 2026 Championships, with prices starting from Dh65. Full details can be found at the tournament’s official website and through authorised ticketing platforms.