American world number three Jessica Pegula reached the semi-finals of the Cincinnati Open after defeating compatriot Amanda Anisimova in a tight three-set quarter-final, winning 6-4, 2-6, 7-6(4) in two hours and nine minutes.
The victory places Pegula into the semi-finals, where she will face either Poland's Iga Swiatek or Jelena Rybakina of Kazakhstan. Swiatek defeated Rybakina in the Toronto tournament final last Friday, with their quarter-final rematch in Cincinnati scheduled to begin at around 1:00 a.m. Polish time.
Pegula prevails in third-set tiebreak
The all-American quarter-final match was closely contested throughout. Pegula took the opening set 6-4 after securing a single break of serve. Anisimova responded strongly in the second set, winning four consecutive games to take control and win 6-2 to force a deciding third set.
The final set saw multiple shifts in momentum. Pegula started with two breaks of serve to build an early 3-0 lead. Anisimova fought back to narrow the gap to 2-3 before breaking serve again in the tenth game to level the set at 5-5. Both players then held their service games to take the decider into a tiebreak.
Anisimova led 4-3 in the tiebreak, but failed to win another point for the rest of the match. Pegula, the older of the two players, handled the pressure better down the stretch, taking four points in a row to win the tiebreak 7-4 and seal the match.
Cincinnati draw and semi-final matchups
The Cincinnati Open is a major hard-court tournament on the WTA tour, serving as a key event ahead of the US Open. Pegula, 30, has maintained a top ranking through her consistent performances on hard courts throughout the season.
While Pegula awaits the winner of the match between Swiatek and Rybakina, the second semi-final matchup will be decided in the other half of the draw. Czech player Sara Bejlek faces American Madison Keys, while Coco Gauff takes on Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk in the remaining quarter-finals.
