Pegula squandered match points, enabling her opponent to reach her first WTA 1000 final, with the crowd chanting for more play in a memorable moment.

The China Open women’s singles semifinal once again delivered a classic showdown, as 26th seed Czech rising star Noskova saved three match points in the final set to overcome 5th seed Pegula 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(6), marking her debut in a WTA 1000 final.

This victory not only boosted Noskova’s live ranking to a career-high 17th but also added intrigue to her upcoming championship match against 3rd seed Anisimova.

Before this semifinal, both players’ paths to this stage had drawn significant attention. Noskova, seeded 26th, had defeated several players including China’s top player Zheng Qinwen to reach her first WTA 1000 semifinal. She showcased excellent form by sweeping British dark horse Katar in straight sets in the quarterfinals.

On the other side, 5th seed Pegula also performed impressively, overturning Navarro—who had just caused an upset by defeating top seed Swiatek—in the quarterfinals. In a post-match interview, Pegula admitted, “Noskova hits with great power and depth; my previous matches against her have been tough.” This comment set the stage for an intense semifinal.

Their previous encounters confirmed the term “evenly matched,” with each having won one match against the other, adding further suspense to this contest.

Technically, Noskova’s baseline shots are fast and deep, and she excels at sudden changes in direction during rallies. Her wide-angle backhand is a key scoring weapon, combined with a high first-serve percentage at critical moments, giving her the ability to challenge top players. Pegula is known for her quick transitions and steady baseline play; her tenacity shown against Navarro is viewed as a key advantage in facing Noskova.

Shortly after the match began, a humorous moment occurred as the crowd at the Diamond Court called out, “Play a bit longer.” This was understandable since the earlier women’s semifinal saw 3rd seed Anisimova defeat defending champion Gauff in just 57 minutes, 6-1, 6-2, leaving many fans feeling the match was too brief.

However, the duel between these two players truly fulfilled the crowd’s wish! In the first set, Noskova quickly found her rhythm, securing a crucial break in the sixth game to take the set 6-3, mirroring her quarterfinal performance against Katar.

The second set saw a dramatic shift as Pegula launched a strong comeback, breaking Noskova’s serve twice to lead 5-0. Although Noskova managed to hold serve once to avoid a bagel, Pegula closed the set 6-1, pushing the match into a deciding set.

In the final set, both players engaged in a fierce battle of breaks, trading service breaks to level at 2-2 after four games. The climax came in the eleventh game when Pegula broke again and then served for the match at 40-15, holding three match points. At this critical moment, Noskova demonstrated remarkable mental strength by saving all three match points, breaking back to force a tiebreak.

In the tiebreak, Pegula initially led 3-1 but committed a crucial error—a smash that went wildly out—missing the chance to extend her lead. Had she secured a 4-1 advantage, she might have closed the match quickly, but this costly mistake shifted momentum.

This error became the turning point as Noskova broke Pegula’s serve twice afterward and converted her second match point to win the tiebreak 8-6, sealing a 2-1 victory overall.

The match lasted 2 hours and 28 minutes, with Noskova delivering near-perfect performance under pressure. Although Pegula had a slight edge in winners, she committed eight more unforced errors than Noskova, including the fatal smash in the deciding tiebreak. Noskova’s first-serve winning percentage was close to the 78% she achieved against Katar in the quarterfinals, making her service games rock solid today.

Moreover, Noskova excelled at saving break points, notably her incredible feat of saving three match points in succession at the end.

After the match, Noskova wrote “NI HAO SEMIS!” in pinyin with tone marks on camera, engaging warmly with Chinese fans and winning many supporters who believe she can go even further.

For Pegula, this loss is undoubtedly a heavy blow. Wasting three match points while leading, especially the glaring smash error, will be a shadow she needs to overcome swiftly.

Opinions among fans about the upcoming final against Anisimova are mixed. Some believe it favors Anisimova, noting that Pegula has struggled against her before, and that Anisimova and Noskova are evenly matched with a 1-1 head-to-head record. The final promises to be a tough challenge for Noskova, who lost 2-1 to Anisimova at this year’s Wimbledon and will face her again in the China Open final.

Both players are aiming for their second WTA 1000 title, and whoever wins will make their own mark in the history of the China Open.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Lu Xiaotian)