Jessica Pegula is aiming to avoid past mistakes as she is set for a rematch with Aryna Sabalenka in the Miami Open final.
The American reached her first Miami Open final after defeating Alexandra Eala 7-6(3) 5-7 6-2 in two and a half hours.
Eala had been making all the headlines this week after knocking out three Grand Slam champions in the form of Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys and Iga Swiatek but Pegula neutralised the power from the wildcard to advance to the final.
Speaking after the match Pegula said we will be seeing more from Eala after an epic late night battle, “She’s really good,” Pegula told the WTA website.
“She’s a really good tennis player, goes for her shots, takes the ball early … competes really well, she’s beaten a lot of top players this week — I don’t think she needs me to tell her that she’s a great player, that we’re not going to see enough of her, we definitely are, and she proved that tonight.”
Now Pegula must face the biggest test in tennis as she battles world number one Aryna Sabalenka in the final.
The final is the rematch of the US Open final which Pegula just fell short in a 7-5 7-5 defeat in what was her first Grand Slam final.
Ahead of the occasion Pegula admitted she must not repeat the mistakes in that final as she gets ready for battle, “I had chances at the US Open, up 5-3 in that second set. Who knows what would have happened there,” Pegula reflected.
“I definitely know I’ll get some chances if I play some good tennis hopefully, and I will try to do my best of trying to take advantage of that, and, you know, learning from the last couple of matches.
“I do feel like I’m serving a little bit better. Hopefully I can serve well Saturday. I think that’s something you have to do against her. She returns really well. I have been returning well, so I always feel like even though she’s one of the best servers in the world, I can give myself a chance maybe to break her. But she’s tough.
“She’s playing with a lot of confidence. She likes, I think, a little bit quicker hard court, as well, playing one-two punch, playing an aggressive game.”
The head-to-head is 6-2 in Sabalenka’s favour heading into Saturday’s showdown.
