After a difficult start to the season, Pegula has stepped up his game in recent weeks. The American has 12 wins in 17 matches in 2024, including semi-finals in Adelaide and San Diego. But at the same time, she unexpectedly collapsed in the second round of the Australian Open, when she was beaten in straight sets by French tennis player Clara Burel.
The 30-year-old American entered the Charleston Open after her performance in the quarterfinals of the Miami Open. In Charleston, she started with a hard-fought victory over Amanda Anisimova, then knocked out Magda Linette and Victoria Azarenka en route to the semifinals. Pegula defeated Azarenka with a score of 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7).
Meanwhile, Daria Kasatkina started the season well, scoring 15 wins in 23 matches and reaching the final (losing both) at the Adelaide International and Abu Dhabi Open. She also reached the fourth round of the 2024 BNP Paribas Open.
The Russian flew to Charleston after being eliminated in the third round of the Miami Open, where she lost to Sorana Kirsta. She opened the Charleston tournament with a victory over Ashlyn Kruger and then defeated Angelina Kalinina in the next round. Then Kasatkina won a brilliant, strong-willed victory over Jacqueline Christian in the quarterfinals – 6-7 (4), 6-2, 6-3.
Pegula leads in personal matches against Kasatkina 2-0. Most recently, she beat the Russian in the quarterfinals of the 2023 Japan Open. They were also scheduled to play at the 2024 Adelaide International, but Kasatkina withdrew from the competition due to illness.
Predictions for the match between Daria Kasatkina and Jessica Pegula
Both players have performed well on clay this year and will be determined to reach the final.
Pegula has an impressive record on clay and has a psychological advantage over Kastkina, having beaten her in all of her previous fights. His hard-hitting and versatile game gives him an advantage. Plus, she plays at home. Moreover, the long quarter-final against the Romanian Christian, not very strong, was not in favor of Kasatkina; she may no longer have enough strength to face the more powerful Pegula.
Ultimately, the winner will be the one who starts the match well and keeps his cool in the decisive moments. Both tennis players have strong results on clay, the match could be long and tense, but Pegula still appears as the favorite.
Forecast: Pegula would win in three sets.
Vyacheslav Gorbachev/Athletistic
Source: Sport
I’m Rose Brown , a journalist and writer with over 10 years of experience in the news industry. I specialize in covering tennis-related news for Athletistic, a leading sports media website. My writing is highly regarded for its quick turnaround and accuracy, as well as my ability to tell compelling stories about the sport.
