After overcoming adversity on Saturday night against former world No. 1 Victoria Azarenka, opportunity knocks for Jessica Pegula at the Guadalajara Open Akron.
The top-ranked American, seeded No. 3 at the last WTA 1000 event of the year, moved into her second final of the season with a 7-6(3), 6-1 win against unseeded Azarenka, a match in which she trailed 3-0 in the first set. Nonetheless, Pegula bounced back to record an 89-minute victory against Azarenka and level their overall head-to-head at 2-2.
“She comes out super intense, and I got down kind of quick, but I knew if I could just work my way back into the match, I would give myself chances,” Pegula said in victory. “I didn’t just want to let that first set go. … I think it paid off.
“Battling the altitude, the conditions, the wind, the cooler air, playing at night really for the first time, playing someone like her who I haven’t beaten in the last couple times, there are a lot of things. Especially to go to a final, it’s really special. I’m just proud of how well I adapted out there today.”