Coco Gauff headline meets reality as Pegula denies Anisimova to reach Dubai final
Jessica Pegula stormed back from a set and a break down to beat Amanda Anisimova 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 — a win that sets up a Dubai final against Elina Svitolina and undercuts a separate pre-tournament headline naming Coco Gauff as a possible Svitolina opponent.
Pegula turned a 6-1, 3-1 deficit into victory
Pegula lost the first set 1-6 and trailed 3-1 in the second before reversing the match to win in 2 hours and 2 minutes. The No. 4 seed won seven of the final eight games after leveling at 4-4 in the second set, finishing the match 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 and advancing to her 21st career final on the WTA Tour.
How she did it on court
Pegula shifted tactics as the match progressed, using sky-high defensive lobs and disruptive slices to draw errors and blunt Anisimova’s power. "At the start of the third, it was 1-1, " she said. "I just looked at my coach and I was like, 'I'm just happy I'm still even here right now. ' She was playing some incredible tennis, and I just came out a little slow. " Later Pegula added, "I was running a lot. I knew I had to use my legs, get my feet under me... get my feet under and stay in the points because she was hitting a really big ball. "
Coco Gauff and the Dubai final picture
A separate headline carried the matchup line "Coco Gauff vs. Elina Svitolina: Predictions, Where to Watch. " That pre-tournament pairing included coco gauff as a potential opponent for Svitolina, but Pegula's semifinal win makes the confirmed final pairing Pegula versus Svitolina instead. The presence of coco gauff in early previews highlighted possible routes to the final that did not come to pass.
What this win means for Pegula and what’s next
With the victory Pegula improved to 5-0 against Anisimova and booked her 10th final at the 1000 level or above. She is a three-time WTA 1000 champion and now leads her head-to-head with No. 7 seed Elina Svitolina 5-3 ahead of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships final. The next confirmed event on the schedule is the tournament final, where Pegula will face Svitolina for the title.
