Friday’s action at the Wuhan Open 2025 delivered a striking contrast: Aryna Sabalenka rolled through her quarterfinal with ease, while Jessica Pegula once again had to grind her way through a demanding three-set battle. The American outlasted Czech qualifier Katerina Siniakova 2–6, 6–0, 6–3 in one hour and 40 minutes, earning her first-ever semifinal appearance in Wuhan — and her sixth three-set victory in her last seven matches.
Pegula Turns the Match Around with Precision and Patience
The opening set belonged to Siniakova, who capitalized on Pegula’s slow start and dictated play early. The Czech’s 58% first-serve percentage and aggressive shot-making helped her secure the set in just over 30 minutes. But Pegula, who has spent more than 15 hours on court in the past two weeks, responded with remarkable composure and energy.
In the second set, Pegula’s transformation was total. She increased her first-serve percentage to 80% and won 83% of those points, compared to Siniakova’s 29%. That dominance translated into a clean 6–0 set in only 23 minutes. Her superior serving stats — including a 324 serve rating versus Siniakova’s 50 — reflected how completely she took control of the match’s rhythm.
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Dominance in Key Moments
The deciding set showcased Pegula’s ability to thrive under pressure. She converted both break chances and saved all four break points against her, maintaining her focus in the tightest moments. Her consistency was also clear in her overall numbers: Pegula won 57% of total points (76 of 133) and 67% of service points, compared to Siniakova’s 43% and 53%, respectively.
At 4–2 in the final set, Pegula broke serve decisively, then held firm through a tense game at 4–3 where she fended off multiple break points. Her ability to win 77% of “pressure points” — compared to Siniakova’s 23% — proved the difference.
“I honestly don’t know how I do it,” Pegula admitted afterward. “I guess I’m just in really good shape. Of course, it would be easier mentally and physically to win in two sets, but if I keep winning every match in three, I’d be perfectly happy.”
Pegula’s combination of resilience, tactical clarity, and serving precision has carried her deep into the Wuhan draw — and her form suggests she’s ready for an even bigger challenge in the semifinals. Sabalenka awaits.
Siniakova vs Pegula – Full Match Stats
| Statistic | Siniakova | Pegula |
|---|---|---|
| Dominance Ratio | 0.70 | 1.43 |
| Serve Rating | 216 | 271 |
| Aces | 1 | 0 |
| Double Faults | 5 | 1 |
| 1st Serve % | 58% (38/66) | 67% (45/67) |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 61% (23/38) | 78% (35/45) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 43% (12/28) | 45% (10/22) |
| Break Points Saved | 17% (1/6) | 71% (5/7) |
| Service Games | 58% (7/12) | 82% (9/11) |
| Ace % | 1.5% | 0% |
| Double Fault % | 7.6% | 1.5% |
| Return Rating | 124 | 221 |
| 1st Return Points Won | 22% (10/45) | 39% (15/38) |
| 2nd Return Points Won | 55% (12/22) | 57% (16/28) |
| Break Points Won | 29% (2/7) | 83% (5/6) |
| Return Games | 18% (2/11) | 42% (5/12) |
| Pressure Points | 23% (3/13) | 77% (10/13) |
| Service Points | 53% (35/66) | 67% (45/67) |
| Return Points | 33% (22/67) | 47% (31/66) |
| Total Points | 43% (57/133) | 57% (76/133) |
| Match Points Saved | 0 | 0 |
| Max Points In A Row | 5 | 11 |
| Total Games Won | 39% (9/23) | 61% (14/23) |
| Max Games In A Row | 3 | 6 |
| Injury Timeouts | 0 | 0 |
| Match Duration | 1h 40m | |
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