Sabalenka misses Berlin final after semifinal loss to Pegula

World number one Aryna Sabalenka's quest for her first grass-court title was halted in the semifinals of the Berlin Tennis Open. The 28-year-old Belarusian lost to the third-seeded American Jessica Pegula in a three-set match, falling 4:6, 7:6 (7:4), 0:6.

Sabalenka, a six-time Grand Slam champion, found herself chasing an early break in the first set, similar to her previous match. Pegula, the world number three and a previous Berlin champion in 2024, played a more structured and precise game.

A rain delay in the second set offered a temporary reprieve for Sabalenka. She found her rhythm, serving more directly and securing an early break to lead 2:0. However, she failed to convert two set points at 5:2 and was broken back, forcing a tiebreak. The nearly two-hour interruption due to rain seemed to benefit Sabalenka, who won the tiebreak 7:4.

Despite the comeback, Pegula regained control in the decisive third set. She secured three breaks to seal her spot in the final. Pegula will now play the winner of the semifinal between Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic and Alexandra Eala of the Philippines.