Jessica Pegula, the fourth seed, showcased her prowess with a commanding performance to defeat seventh seed Elina Svitolina 6-2, 6-4, clinching the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships title. Pegula's strategy was clear from the start, as she quickly took control with a 3-0 lead, putting immediate pressure on Svitolina's serve.
Despite a brief challenge from the Ukrainian, Pegula's resilience shone through as she fended off two break points to extend her lead to 5-1. An untimely error from Svitolina handed Pegula the first set.
In the second set, Pegula's patience paid off. She waited for the perfect moment to strike, breaking Svitolina in the fifth game. From there, Pegula maintained her composure, closing out the match decisively.
This victory marks Pegula's 10th singles title and her fourth at the prestigious WTA 1000 level. She joins an elite group of American women, including Lindsay Davenport and Venus Williams, to have won the Dubai trophy. Notably, this win also handed Svitolina her first defeat in a WTA 1000 final.
Ranked world No. 5 and on the brink of her 32nd birthday, Pegula has finally transformed her consistent performances into a major triumph. After three consecutive losses in WTA 1000 finals, Dubai was where it all came together for her.
Pegula's journey to the title was impressive, beginning with a first-round bye and followed by victories over Varvara Gracheva, Iva Jovic, Clara Tauson, and Amanda Anisimova. She capped off her remarkable run by defeating Svitolina, a former Dubai champion in 2017 and 2018.