Pegula ends Eala’s dream run, faces Sabalenka in final

Miami

Jessica Pegula ended teenage wildcard Alexandra Eala’s stunning Miami Open journey with a 7-6(3), 5-7, 6-3 win in Friday’s semifinal. Eala, who made an incredible run to the semifinals, had previously defeated top players like Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys, and world No. 2 Iga Swiatek.

Despite trailing 5-2 in the first set, Pegula staged a remarkable comeback, breaking serve at 5-3 after Eala double-faulted on set point. The match lasted 2 hours and 26 minutes, with Pegula ultimately sealing the victory. Eala’s run marked a historic achievement as she became the first Filipino player to reach a tour-level semifinal and only the second wildcard to defeat three or more Grand Slam champions in one event.

Pegula will now face world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the final. The American has struggled against Sabalenka in the past, having won just two of their eight previous encounters. Her last win over the top seed came during the 2023 WTA Finals in Cancun.

Sabalenka, who made her way to the final with a dominant 6-2, 6-2 win over No. 6 seed Jasmina Paolini, is looking to win her first Miami Open title. She was pleased with her performance, saying, "Everything was going smoothly my way, and I’m super happy with the result." Sabalenka has now reached her 12th career WTA 1000 final and continues her strong season.