Pegula and Kenin Set for All-American Showdown in Charleston

Jessica Pegula survived a thrilling match against Ekaterina Alexandrova to reach the Charleston Open final, where she will face Sofia Kenin.

Pegula Advances to Charleston Final

Top seed Jessica Pegula overcame a challenging match to beat Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-2, 2-6, 7-5 and reach her fourth final of the season at the Charleston Open. ”That was a tough match,” Pegula told the Tennis Channel. “It wasn't the prettiest at times, it was really windy, there were some awkward shots, we were both very uncomfortable, I feel like, on some short balls, some low balls, it was kind of swirling in the wind so it was just trying not to get frustrated, having to move your feet a lot and just competing.” Pegula broke Alexandrova in the first game with a backhand winner and then received another break in the third game after Alexandrova double faulted and hit a clumsy shot that sailed past the baseline.

Jessica Pegula d. Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-2 2-6 7-5 in Charleston

After losing in the semifinals the last two years in a row, Pegula is into her first Charleston final.

✅4th final of 2025
✅24th win of the year

🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/MhRUHXeO9X

— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) April 5, 2025

The two players traded breaks in the fifth and sixth games, but Pegula maintained her lead. However, Alexandrova improved her form across the board in the second set, breaking Pegula with a fine forehand shot in the sixth game and again with a forehand winner on set point. Meanwhile, Sofia Kenin advanced to the final after her opponent, Amanda Anisimova, retired with an injury in the first set. Pegula will now face Kenin in the championship match.

Jessica Pegula believes women’s sports will continue to gain more popularity with more exposure 📈#CharlestonOpen pic.twitter.com/k4bqqO78ph

— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) April 5, 2025

The final set was a closely contested affair, with both players trading breaks three times. However, Pegula's precision and determination ultimately paid off as she forced an error from Alexandrova on break point with a perfectly placed backhand at the net in the 11th game. This decisive moment closed out the two-hour 21-minute-long marathon match, marking Pegula's 24th win of the year, the most in the WTA.

Anisimova's afternoon took a turn for the worse when she suffered a hip injury during her match against Kenin. With Kenin up a break in the fourth game, Anisimova stopped and began moving gingerly around the court, eventually asking for the physio. Despite attempts to continue, Anisimova was unable to keep up the fight and retired with Kenin leading 5-2. This sets up an All-American final against Pegula, the first time this has happened at the Charleston Open since 1990.