Linda Noskova will play for the biggest title of her career on Sunday after surviving a roller-coaster semifinal in Beijing, edging Jessica Pegula 6–3, 1–6, 7–6(6). The 20-year-old Czech now meets Amanda Anisimova for the 2025 China Open crown.
How It Unfolded
This clash was billed as tight on paper, partly because they hadn’t met recently. Pegula’s trademark control and clean ball-striking ran into Noskova’s first-strike power and fearless shot-making—fuel for a match with heavy momentum swings. Pegula will replay the night in her head: she held three match points before Noskova dragged the semi into a deciding tiebreak and stole it late.
Set-by-Set Breakdown
Noskova in control
At 3–2, Pegula blinked in a deuce game. Noskova flipped 30–40 into a break on her second chance for 4–2, then served with authority to 5–2 and closed 6–3. Pegula didn’t see a break point; Noskova owned the early initiative.
Pegula vs Noskova – Set 1 Stats
| Statistic | Pegula | Noskova |
|---|---|---|
| Dominance Ratio | 0.78 | 1.28 |
| Serve Rating | 271 | 312 |
| Aces | 2 | 4 |
| Double Faults | 1 | 0 |
| 1st Serve % | 78% (21/27) | 65% (20/31) |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 67% (14/21) | 70% (14/20) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 50% (3/6) | 73% (8/11) |
| Break Points Saved | 67% (2/3) | – (0/0) |
| Service Games | 75% (3/4) | 100% (5/5) |
| Ace % | 7.4% | 12.9% |
| Double Fault % | 3.7% | 0% |
| Return Rating | 57 | 141 |
| 1st Return Points Won | 30% (6/20) | 33% (7/21) |
| 2nd Return Points Won | 27% (3/11) | 50% (3/6) |
| Break Points Won | – (0/0) | 33% (1/3) |
| Return Games | 0% (0/5) | 25% (1/4) |
| Pressure Points | 67% (2/3) | 33% (1/3) |
| Service Points | 63% (17/27) | 71% (22/31) |
| Return Points | 29% (9/31) | 37% (10/27) |
| Total Points | 45% (26/58) | 55% (32/58) |
| Match Points Saved | 0 | 0 |
| Max Points In A Row | 3 | 4 |
| Total Games Won | 33% (3/9) | 67% (6/9) |
| Max Games In A Row | 1 | 3 |
| Set 1 Duration | 0h 36m | |
Pegula flips the script
Everything turned. Pegula held to start, broke on her second chance of the next return game, consolidated, and never looked back—6–1. The pattern mirrored Noskova’s first set: steady holds, surgical returning, scoreboard pressure all in less than half an hour.
Pegula vs Noskova – Set 2 Stats
| Statistic | Pegula | Noskova |
|---|---|---|
| Dominance Ratio | 2.02 | 0.50 |
| Serve Rating | 303 | 177 |
| Aces | 1 | 4 |
| Double Faults | 1 | 1 |
| 1st Serve % | 59% (13/22) | 65% (13/20) |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 77% (10/13) | 62% (8/13) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 67% (6/9) | 14% (1/7) |
| Break Points Saved | – (0/0) | 50% (2/4) |
| Service Games | 100% (4/4) | 33% (1/3) |
| Ace % | 4.5% | 20% |
| Double Fault % | 4.5% | 5% |
| Return Rating | 241 | 56 |
| 1st Return Points Won | 38% (5/13) | 23% (3/13) |
| 2nd Return Points Won | 86% (6/7) | 33% (3/9) |
| Break Points Won | 50% (2/4) | – (0/0) |
| Return Games | 67% (2/3) | 0% (0/4) |
| Pressure Points | 50% (2/4) | 50% (2/4) |
| Service Points | 73% (16/22) | 45% (9/20) |
| Return Points | 55% (11/20) | 27% (6/22) |
| Total Points | 64% (27/42) | 36% (15/42) |
| Match Points Saved | 0 | 0 |
| Max Points In A Row | 5 | 2 |
| Total Games Won | 86% (6/7) | 14% (1/7) |
| Max Games In A Row | 5 | 1 |
| Set 2 Duration | 0h 29m | |
Tie-break grit
The decider became a tug-of-war. The first four games were all breaks—Noskova dropped serve, broke right back, then pressed again. She steadied for 3–2 after saving three break points, flirted with daylight at 4–2, but Pegula kept yanking it back to level. From 5–4, Noskova stood a point from the finish; Pegula broke late to extend things.
In the nerve-check, Pegula earned three match points—Noskova erased them with big first serves and fearless backhands, then threaded a line in the breaker and closed 7–6(6). Amazing!
Pegula vs Noskova – Set 3 Stats
| Statistic | Pegula | Noskova |
|---|---|---|
| Dominance Ratio | 1.01 | 0.99 |
| Serve Rating | 210 | 200 |
| Aces | 3 | 3 |
| Double Faults | 1 | 6 |
| 1st Serve % | 64% (41/64) | 59% (32/54) |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 51% (21/41) | 59% (19/32) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 43% (10/23) | 35% (8/23) |
| Break Points Saved | 63% (5/8) | 73% (8/11) |
| Service Games | 50% (3/6) | 50% (3/6) |
| Ace % | 4.7% | 5.6% |
| Double Fault % | 1.6% | 11.1% |
| Return Rating | 183 | 194 |
| 1st Return Points Won | 41% (13/32) | 49% (20/41) |
| 2nd Return Points Won | 65% (15/23) | 57% (13/23) |
| Break Points Won | 27% (3/11) | 38% (3/8) |
| Return Games | 50% (3/6) | 50% (3/6) |
| Pressure Points | 42% (8/19) | 58% (11/19) |
| Service Points | 48% (31/64) | 48% (26/54) |
| Return Points | 52% (28/54) | 52% (33/64) |
| Total Points | 50% (59/118) | 50% (59/118) |
| Match Points Saved | 1 | 3 |
| Max Points In A Row | 4 | 5 |
| Total Games Won | 50% (6/12) | 50% (6/12) |
| Max Games In A Row | 2 | 2 |
| Set 3 Duration | 1h 24m | |
Turning Points & Nerves
- Three Pegula match points saved by Noskova down the stretch.
- A missed overhead during a mini-surge kept the breaker within reach.
- Noskova’s willingness to change direction under pressure—especially on the backhand—was the difference.
What It Means & What’s Next
It caps a superb 2 weeks for Linda Noskova and sets up a marquee showdown with Anisimova, who earlier blitzed Coco Gauff. Given Anisimova’s form—and Noskova’s resilience—Sunday’s final has real blockbuster potential.
Anisimova has been the tour’s pace-setter for months and will open as the favorite, but Noskova’s ability to absorb pressure and reset patterns gives her a live shot. First-strike execution on return games and a high first-serve percentage will be Noskova’s keys. Yet, we predict Anisimova to win the title.