Top-ranked Jessica Pegula faced a tough challenge in the Credit One Charleston Open quarterfinals but came back from a set and a break down to beat Danielle Collins, the defending champion, with scores of 1-6, 6-3, 6-0. Pegula won the last nine games of the match, securing victory in 1 hour and 44 minutes.
This win continues Pegula`s flawless record against Collins over 13 years. Their rivalry began in 2012, and Pegula has dominated, winning 12 out of 14 sets played against Collins throughout their careers.
Pegula has reached her fourth semifinal in 2025 and aims for her first Charleston final. Having lost in the semifinals in both 2023 and 2024, she will compete against either Zheng Qinwen or Ekaterina Alexandrova for a spot in the final.
Collins started strongly, dominating the first set in just 27 minutes with powerful shots and winning returns. She continued her momentum into the second set, leading 2-0.
However, the turning point came in the fourth game of the second set. Collins couldn`t convert game points to extend her lead, and Pegula seized the opportunity to break back.
Following this, errors began to affect Collins` game, while Pegula became more consistent. From being down 2-0 in the second set, Pegula won 12 of the next 13 games, including the last nine consecutively. Collins` unforced errors increased significantly in the second and third sets compared to her clean first set.
In her on-court interview, Pegula acknowledged Collins` aggressive start, stating, “She came out just firing, and I was not ready for that at all. Luckily, somehow I was able to dig my heels into that second set and play some good tennis.” Pegula also mentioned adjusting her strategy by using slices, drop shots, and improving her serve placement to counter Collins` strong backhand and returns.
