amanda anisimova Dethrones Defending Champion Andreeva, Will Face Pegula in Dubai Semifinal
Amanda Anisimova knocked out defending champion Mirra Andreeva in a dramatic Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships quarterfinal, prevailing 2-6, 7-5, 7-6 after 2 hours and 38 minutes. The No. 2 seed saved her best tennis for the closing stages — converting her fourth match point in a third-set tiebreak — and will face No. 4 seed Jessica Pegula in an all-American semifinal on the hard courts of Dubai.
Quarterfinal thriller: comeback, clutch points and raw emotion
The quarterfinal unfolded as a seesaw classic. Andreeva, the 18-year-old defending champion, raced out to a commanding first-set victory and carried that momentum into a 2-0 lead in the second. She produced a barrage of clean shots early — including four aces in the opening set — and forced Anisimova into 20 unforced errors as she claimed the first set 6-2.
But Anisimova regrouped. Trailing 2-0 in the second, she steadied her game, tightened her accuracy and ripped off five straight games to lead 5-2. Andreeva battled back to level at 5-5, but Anisimova dug deep in the decisive moments to take the second set 7-5. The third set produced more drama: Andreeva led and appeared poised to close it out before Anisimova forced a tiebreak. In that breaker, the American seized control, converting her fourth match point to end the match at 7-6.
Both players were visibly drained and emotional at the finish. Anisimova described the match as an emotional tussle and admitted she was moved by Andreeva's reaction on court, saying it was tough to see an opponent so distraught after giving everything. The victory marked Anisimova's first Top 10 win of 2026 and her first semifinal appearance since the 2025 season-ending event in Riyadh.
All-American semifinal: Pegula standing between Anisimova and a Dubai final
Waiting in the semis is Jessica Pegula, who advanced by outlasting last year's finalist Clara Tauson 6-3, 2-6, 6-4. Pegula's victory extended her run of consecutive semifinals on the tour to seven, a streak that stretches back to the previous US Open. Both Pegula and Anisimova are chasing their first trip to the Dubai final.
The upcoming clash carries recent history: Pegula holds a 4-0 advantage over Anisimova in their head-to-head, including a straight-sets win in last month's Australian Open quarterfinal. That head-to-head dominance gives Pegula a psychological edge, but Anisimova's form in Dubai — overcoming a defending champion in a tight match — offers a fresh counterpoint as the two Americans prepare for a likely third-set battle.
The stakes extend beyond this event. For Anisimova, the Dubai run represents momentum after a season that has been searching for a flashpoint; for Pegula, another deep run would reinforce the consistency she's shown across hard-court events. Expect both to lean on their baseline weapons and service consistency, with key points and small tactical switches likely to decide the outcome.
Context and tournament picture
Andreeva entered the event as a heavily favored player in her earlier matches; pre-match betting markets updated Wednesday at 2: 35 AM ET showed her as an overwhelming favorite against Jaqueline Adina Cristian in the Round of 16. That market positioning and her status as defending champion underscored how startling the quarterfinal result feels, even if it followed earlier tight meetings between the two.
With the win, Anisimova picks up important ranking momentum and a confidence boost having downed the reigning champion in a pressure-packed environment. The semifinal with Pegula now looms as the headline match of the day, a rematch with recent Grand Slam implications and a likely high-quality contest that could swing either way.
Semifinal scheduling will determine exact start times for the matchup; play in Dubai continues through the weekend as the tournament moves toward its final day. Fans and bettors alike will be watching how both Americans manage the physical toll of long matches and whether Anisimova can flip the head-to-head script that has favored Pegula to date.
