Jessica Pegula staged an extraordinary comeback at the Berlin Open, saving five championship points to clinch victory over Anna Kalinskaya and solidify her credentials as a contender for the Wimbledon title.
The American player, ranked fifth in the world, demonstrated resilience and determination throughout the tournament. Pegula, who had missed the European clay-court season due to injury, returned to competition last week in the Netherlands, setting the stage for her remarkable run in Berlin.
In a rain-delayed semi-final clash against her doubles partner and world number two Coco Gauff, Pegula secured a hard-fought victory with a 7-5, 7-6 (7-2) scoreline. This win propelled her into the final against Russia’s Kalinskaya, where she faced even greater challenges.
The final proved to be a test of endurance and skill as Pegula battled from a 4-1 deficit in the decisive third set. Despite losing the first-set tiebreaker 0-7, Pegula maintained her composure and clawed her way back, eventually claiming victory with a 6-7 (0-7), 6-4, 7-6 (7-3) triumph over Kalinskaya.
This victory marks Pegula’s fifth WTA Tour title and her first on grass, underscoring her adaptability across surfaces. Her previous notable performance at Wimbledon includes reaching the quarter-finals last year, where she fell to eventual champion Marketa Vondrousova in a closely contested match.
Ahead of Wimbledon, which commences on 1 July, Pegula is scheduled to compete at the Eastbourne International, aiming to further fine-tune her game and build on her recent success in Berlin.
Meanwhile, at the Birmingham Classic, Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva secured her first grass-court title by defeating Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic 6-1, 7-6 (10-8) in the final. It was a significant achievement for Putintseva, whose previous WTA Tour titles had come on clay courts.
Reflecting on her unexpected triumph on grass, Putintseva expressed mixed emotions, describing the win as “amazing but confusing.” The 29-year-old player acknowledged her usual prowess on clay but credited her newfound success on grass, stating, “I’ll take it!”
Tomljanovic, seeking her maiden WTA title, fought valiantly throughout the final but fell short at crucial moments. The Australian player, returning to her first final since a challenging 2023 season marked by injuries, displayed resilience but was unable to overcome Putintseva’s determined performance.