Cincinnati Open 2024: Jessica Pegula extends winning streak to nine matches after beating Paula Badosa

Jessica Pegula has reached the finals at Cincinnati for the first time in her sixth attempt.

Since the start of August, Jessica Pegula has been unbeatable on the WTA tour. After her semi-final win over Paula Badosa at Cincinnati Open 2024, the American has now won nine consecutive matches. Pegula will now face another in-form player, Aryna Sabalenka in the final at Cincinnati.

The 30-year-old has now equalled her career best winning streak of nine matches. She had won nine straight matches in 2023 starting from the Hana Bank Korea Open till the WTA Finals at Cancun. Pegula’s run was ended by Iga Swiatek in the championship match of the WTA Finals. This time it will be Sabalenka who will try to stop her.

9 – Jessica Pegula has won nine consecutive WTA main draw matches, equalling her longest career winning streak made between Seoul and the WTA Finals in Cancun last year. Record.#CincyTennis | @CincyTennis @WTA @WTA_insider pic.twitter.com/i6ug7vAsKv

— OptaAce (@OptaAce) August 18, 2024

During Pegula’s nine-match winning streaks in 2023 and 2024, fellow American player Ashlyn Krueger has been her second victim on both occasions. Krueger had lost in the fourth round at the 2023 Hana Bank Korea Open and again on the same stage during the National Bank Open 2024.

How has Jessica Pegula performed at Cincinnati Open 2024 so far?

Pegula is playing at the Cincinnati Open for the sixth time. She had reached the quarterfinals in 2020 and 2022. Irrespective of the result in the finals against Sabalenka, Pegula has recorded her best performance at the event.

Also Read: Cincinnati Open 2024: Final Predictions, August 19, Jannik Sinner vs Frances Tiafoe, Aryna Sabalenka vs Jessica Pegula

She will meet the Belarusian player for the second time at Cincinnati as Pegula had defeated her in 2020 in the fourth round. It was the pair’s first meeting on the tour.

The world No #6 had a tough start with a three set win over Karolina Muchova. In the next match, Pegula sailed past Taylor Townsend but faced her toughest match yet in the quarterfinals. Leylah Fernandez battled Pegula for three hours and four minutes. The match saw Pegula save nine breakpoints out of 15.

In the semifinals, the American player took out Badosa under two hours and maintained her winning streak over the Spaniard. Pegula’s serve has given her the advantage at Cincinnati as she has won at least 60 percent of her first serve points. Even on second serve, she has won at least 53 percent in each match at the event.

Pegula will hope to keep her serve numbers the same against Sabalenka. It will be the seventh meeting overall and the first meeting of this season between the pair. Pegula has won two matches so far against Sabalenka.