Jessica Pegula encountered a tough setback at the WTA Finals when she faced Elena Rybakina in the semifinals, with Rybakina ultimately prevailing 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 after more than two hours of play in Riyadh.
The Semifinal Between Jessica Pegula and Elena Rybakina at the 2025 WTA Finals
The match took place on November 7, with Pegula beginning impressively by taking the first set and controlling play with steady tennis against Rybakina’s powerful serve. The momentum shifted dramatically in the second set when Rybakina adjusted and began hitting harder shots with greater precision.
Rybakina’s dominant serving proved to be a significant factor, as she recorded 15 aces that kept Pegula off balance and made breaking serve extremely difficult. She maintained this powerful play through the third set, ultimately securing victory.
After the match, Pegula expressed her genuine disappointment, stating: “Not great. To be honest, it sucked. Tough loss. She played really well on some big moments. I felt like I just got a little unlucky with the let cord, and a couple shots here and there. Kudos to her. She played some really good tennis, always serving well.”
Pegula identified the challenging conditions as an additional factor working against her. “In these conditions on these courts, especially with her serve, it’s tough when she’s getting free points every game,” the 31-year-old said.
Despite the defeat, Pegula was pleased with her performance, stating: “Regardless, I thought I played really high level today.”
Speaking on her 2025 season, Pegula said: “I had a great season. I felt like I became a better player this season. I worked on some things and was able to use them in matches, which is something you’re always striving for. I can end this year knowing I became a better player and hopefully have the confidence to work on things next year.”
Jessica Pegula: “I feel like I can end this year knowing that I became a better player and hopefully have confidence and get excited to work on some things I know that I want to work on in the offseason and see if I can do the same thing next year.”#WTAFinalsRiyadh pic.twitter.com/uTfFhlDfVq
— Reem Abulleil (@ReemAbulleil) November 7, 2025
Pegula concluded the year ranked No. 5 in the world with an impressive 52-21 record. She captured three titles on three different surfaces, winning the ATX Open, the Charleston Open, and the Bad Homburg Open.
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Pegula demonstrated elite consistency by reaching the final at Adelaide, Miami, and Wuhan throughout the season. At the US Open, she advanced to the semifinals, and she also reached the semifinals in Beijing. With this year’s results, Pegula has reached at least the quarterfinals at all 10 WTA 1000 events, a distinction shared only by Sabalenka and Rybakina, among active players.
