Jessica Pegula has finally kicked in a door that had refused to budge for three straight years. The world No.6 reached her third career Grand Slam semifinal — and her first outside the United States — by beating Amanda Anisimova 6–2, 7–6(1) in a tense Australian Open quarterfinal that demanded both control and nerve.
Pegula, who had fallen at the quarterfinal stage in Melbourne from 2021 to 2023, made the step that had long eluded her. She did it without dropping a set, absorbing pressure in the second set before slamming the door shut in a one-sided tiebreak.
For Anisimova, whose resurgence has carried her to back-to-back Grand Slam finals at Wimbledon and the US Open last season, this was the end of another strong major run rather than a collapse. She still owns 16 wins from her last 19 Grand Slam matches — but this one slipped.
Early Authority From Pegula
The opening set tilted quickly. Pegula broke immediately, capitalising on a slightly flat start from Anisimova, and never loosened her grip. Although Anisimova settled enough to hold once, Pegula struck again in the fifth game to secure the double break.
From there, the 31-year-old dictated behind her serve, racing to 5–1 before closing the set 6–2. The contrast was stark: Anisimova won just 44% of points on her first serve, while Pegula collected a commanding 85%, keeping rallies short and decisions simple.
Pegula vs Anisimova – Set One Stats
| Statistic | Pegula | Anisimova |
|---|---|---|
| Dominance Ratio | 2.18 | 0.46 |
| Winners | 12 | 8 |
| Unforced Errors | 6 | 13 |
| Serve Rating | 307 | 211 |
| Aces | 5 | 1 |
| Double Faults | 1 | 0 |
| 1st Serve % | 54% (13/24) | 73% (16/22) |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 85% (11/13) | 44% (7/16) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 64% (7/11) | 43% (3/7) |
| Break Points Saved | 100% (1/1) | 50% (2/4) |
| Service Games Won | 100% (4/4) | 50% (2/4) |
| Ace % | 20.8% | 4.5% |
| Double Fault % | 4.2% | 0% |
| Return Rating | 213 | 51 |
| 1st Return Points Won | 56% (9/16) | 15% (2/13) |
| 2nd Return Points Won | 57% (4/7) | 36% (4/11) |
| Break Points Won | 50% (2/4) | 0% (0/1) |
| Return Games Won | 50% (2/4) | 0% (0/4) |
| Pressure Points Won | 60% (3/5) | 40% (2/5) |
| Service Points Won | 75% (18/24) | 45% (10/22) |
| Return Points Won | 55% (12/22) | 25% (6/24) |
| Net Points Won | 100% (1/1) | 33% (2/6) |
| Total Points Won | 65% (30/46) | 35% (16/46) |
| Match Points Saved | 0 | 0 |
| Max Points In A Row | 7 | 4 |
| Service Games | 100% (4/4) | 50% (2/4) |
| Return Games | 50% (2/4) | 0% (0/4) |
| Total Games | 75% (6/8) | 25% (2/8) |
| Max Games In A Row | 3 | 1 |
| Set 1 Duration | 0h31m | |
A Second-Set Swing — and a Ruthless Finish
The second set wobbled early for Anisimova, echoes of her 2025 Wimbledon final unraveling briefly as errors piled up. She was broken in her opening service game and had already committed six unforced errors by the time the scoreboard read 2–0.
To her credit, Anisimova regrouped. She fought off three break points, steadied her groundstrokes, and finally broke through in the eighth game, converting her first break point to move ahead 5–3. For the first time, Pegula looked under genuine pressure.
It didn’t last. Anisimova blinked immediately, Pegula broke back, and suddenly the American veteran was dictating again. Pegula won three straight games to serve for the match at 6–5, missed her first chance under pressure, and was pulled into a tiebreak.
That, however, was where the balance of experience showed. Pegula lost just one point, ripping through seven straight to claim the breaker 7–1 and seal the match in straight sets.
Pegula vs Anisimova – Set Two Stats
| Statistic | Pegula | Anisimova |
|---|---|---|
| Dominance Ratio | 1.24 | 0.80 |
| Winners | 8 | 10 |
| Unforced Errors | 15 | 31 |
| Serve Rating | 256 | 222 |
| Aces | 0 | 1 |
| Double Faults | 1 | 7 |
| 1st Serve % | 63% (24/38) | 56% (27/48) |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 63% (15/24) | 67% (18/27) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 64% (9/14) | 38% (8/21) |
| Break Points Saved | 33% (1/3) | 71% (5/7) |
| Service Games Won | 67% (4/6) | 67% (4/6) |
| Ace % | 0% | 2.1% |
| Double Fault % | 2.6% | 14.6% |
| Return Rating | 157 | 174 |
| 1st Return Points Won | 33% (9/27) | 38% (9/24) |
| 2nd Return Points Won | 62% (13/21) | 36% (5/14) |
| Break Points Won | 29% (2/7) | 67% (2/3) |
| Return Games Won | 33% (2/6) | 33% (2/6) |
| Pressure Points Won | 30% (3/10) | 70% (7/10) |
| Service Points Won | 63% (24/38) | 54% (26/48) |
| Return Points Won | 46% (22/48) | 37% (14/38) |
| Net Points Won | 80% (4/5) | 100% (6/6) |
| Total Points Won | 53% (46/86) | 47% (40/86) |
| Match Points Saved | 0 | 0 |
| Max Points In A Row | 7 | 4 |
| Service Games | 67% (4/6) | 67% (4/6) |
| Return Games | 33% (2/6) | 33% (2/6) |
| Total Games | 50% (6/12) | 50% (6/12) |
| Max Games In A Row | 3 | 2 |
| Set 2 Duration | 1h06m | |
Numbers That Explained the Difference
Pegula was sharper in every key area. She won 70% of first-serve points and 64% on second serve, while Anisimova struggled at 39% behind her second delivery and leaked seven double faults. Pegula also dominated return points against Anisimova’s second serve, winning 61%, a margin that quietly shaped the match.
In one word, Amanda Anisimova hadn’t showed up today.
What Comes Next
Pegula now faces her sternest test yet: world No.5 Elena Rybakina, who dismantled Iga Swiatek in the quarterfinals and has not dropped a set all tournament. On the other side of the draw, Aryna Sabalenka and Elina Svitolina will decide the second finalist.
Four players remain in Melbourne. Pegula is no longer knocking — she’s through the door.
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