Pegula stuns Sabalenka in Berlin, reaches final against Noskova

Jessica Pegula’s 6-0 final set against Aryna Sabalenka was more than a semifinal flourish in Berlin. It was a warning sign for Wimbledon, where the world No. 1 is supposed to be sharpening her grass-court game, not searching for answers after momentum disappears.

Pegula beat Sabalenka 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-0 in the Berlin Open semifinals on June 20, then kept alive her title defense by advancing to a final against Linda Noskova. The match turned sharply after a rain delay that lasted 2 hours and 19 minutes. Pegula had taken the opening set with an early break and looked in control before Sabalenka edged the second-set tiebreak, but once play resumed Pegula won the final six games and blanked the top seed in the deciding set.

The result carried weight far beyond Berlin. Sabalenka, ranked No. 1, has been building toward Wimbledon after a quarterfinal exit at the French Open, and her grass-court record still trails her hard-court résumé by a wide margin. All of her Grand Slam titles have come on hard courts, while Wimbledon remains the missing prize despite three semifinal runs. Her 2026 season profile shows a 31-4 record and three titles, and last year she led the tour with four trophies, including the US Open, her fourth career Grand Slam title.

For Pegula, the win reinforced how dangerous she can be on a surface that rewards clean serving and quick adjustments. The WTA said the American reached her 23rd career singles final and collected her fourth career victory over Sabalenka in 13 tour meetings. All three of Pegula’s previous wins against Sabalenka had also gone the distance, a reminder that this matchup tends to swing on composure as much as shot-making. Pegula entered Berlin with a 78.4 percent hold rate in 2026, third-best on tour, just behind Sabalenka’s 83.6 percent.

Pegula, ranked No. 4 with 11 career singles titles, also knows this venue can reward nerve under pressure. She won Berlin in 2024, her first grass-court title, after saving five championship points against Anna Kalinskaya. Noskova reached the other side of the draw with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Alexandra Eala in 69 minutes, earning her first grass-court final and seventh WTA-level final overall. The final was scheduled for Sunday, June 21, at 16:00 venue time, with Pegula carrying the sharper grass-court form and Sabalenka left to absorb the setback as Wimbledon draws near.