Jessica Pegula declared that her 2026 season could not have begun more favorably, having defeated Elina Svitolina in consecutive sets to claim victory at the Dubai Tennis Championships.
The American fourth-seeded player, Pegula, had advanced to the semi-final stage at both the Brisbane International and the Australian Open in January, prior to securing her inaugural championship of the current year by triumphing 6-2, 6-4 against Ukrainian seventh seed Svitolina during Saturday’s match in Dubai.
Pegula stated that her ultimate victory in the championship match – marking her tenth WTA title – felt deserved, given her consistent performance in reaching seven consecutive semi-finals on the circuit.
“I couldn’t wish for anything more,” she expressed. “For the past half-year, my tennis performance has been exceptionally strong.”
“After reaching seven semi-finals back-to-back, I thought to myself, ‘You know what, a championship would be wonderful, perhaps it will materialize this particular week,’ and indeed, it did,” she recounted.
Furthermore, Pegula acknowledged that she “couldn’t have wished for a more fitting birthday gift,” considering the world’s fifth-ranked player is scheduled to commemorate her 32nd birthday on February 24th.
Svitolina entered the contest possibly experiencing the residual fatigue from her extensive three-hour clash against Coco Gauff the preceding day, allowing Pegula to establish immediate dominance.
Pegula quickly secured an early advantage with a double break, and despite encountering some opposition from Svitolina, she proceeded to conclude the opening set when the Ukrainian sent the ball into the net.
During the subsequent set, Pegula’s precise, angled shots repeatedly compelled Svitolina, a two-time Dubai champion in 2017 and 2018, to commit errors.
Svitolina managed to fend off a single championship point while serving, yet she was unable to avert her defeat in the following game, as Pegula clinched the trophy with a decisive ace.
This victory positioned Pegula as only the third American female player to secure a win in Dubai, following in the footsteps of Lindsay Davenport and the three-time victor, Venus Williams.
