Pegula Beats Anisimova To First AO Semifinal
Synopsis
Jessica Pegula clinched an Australian Open semifinal spot after she beat compatriot Amanda Anisimova 6-2, 7-6(1) in a showdown of Americans on Wednesday. The sixth-seeded Pliskova punched through to a first quarterfinal that she had been denied in three previous attempts in Melbourne, her 14th win in 15 matches against American opponents. Pegula will meet fifth seed Elena Rybakina in the last four. The win is her third Grand Slam semifinal and second in a row, signalling she has finally matured into one of tennis’s major stages at age 31.
Jessica Pegula advanced to her first-ever Australian Open semifinal on Wednesday by defeating fellow American Amanda Anisimova 6-2, 7-6(1) in their one-sided quarterfinal. The sixth seed led from the start, notching up her 14th victory in the last 15 matches against American rivals. Pegula would take on fifth seed Elena Rybakina for a place in the final after breaking through to the quarter-final.
It wasn’t until the seventh game of the first set that Anisimova forced Pegula back to deuce on her serve, but after saving a break point and holding, Pegula broke again in the next game due to a double-fault by Anisimova. The Manhattan-born 31-year-old was simply too clean and clinical during the first set, a half-hour sprint that she wrapped up with an ace down the T, her sixth of the match. The win pushed Pegula to a 4-0 head-to-head against Anisimova.
The sixth-seeded Pegula had fallen in the quarterfinals three years in a row at Melbourne Park, from 2021 to 2023. It is also her third Grand Slam semifinal appearance overall and second in a row after that one.
Anisimova Struggled To Get Into a Rhythm
Anisimova, the fourth seed, did have her chances in that second set but could summon only occasional glimpses of her finest tennis and was unsteady on serve as well as from the baseline. The New Jersey-bred 24-year-old frequently appeared as an anguished meditator of her own self-styled imperfection while showing few answers against Pegula’s unceasing pressure and machine-like ball-striking.
Anisimova crafted her first break point of the second set at 5-3, thinking that she might grumble her way back into the match. But she immediately stepped down the lead as Pegula jumped at a double fault to break straight back. The serving sufferings did not end for Anisimova, who delivered three double faults in the 11th game as Pegula, in full attack mode on return, broke again to lead 6-5.
Match Highlights and Key Statistics
- Pegula was victorious in his 14th match out of the last 15 played against Americans, maintaining a stronghold over fellow countrymen/women
- The first set was completed in 30 minutes with six aces for the sixth-seeded player.
- Anisimova’s serving struggles were ultimately too much to overcome with several double faults at critical junctures
Tiebreak Mastery Seals Victory
Although Pegula was unable to serve out the match at 6-5, the interruption remained short-lived. She moved with the tiebreak, 7-1, playing tennis that left Anisimova no opportunities to extend it to a third set. The one-sided tiebreak summed up Pegula’s dominance all-round as she held her nerve and accuracy when it counted.
Semifinal Showdown with Rybakina Awaits
Pegula will next play fifth seed Elena Rybakina for a place in the final at the Australian Open. Rybakina reached the semi after knocking out Iga Swiatek and a battle of heavy-hitters is guaranteed. The challenge is also a big step up for Pegula, who will need to play the clean tennis she used against Anisimova if she hopes to keep winning against a dangerous Kazakhstani.
The semifinal finish is the next step in Pegula’s continued career ascent. Having come up short in her attempts to reach a Grand Slam quarterfinal on numerous occasions over the years, she has now made it to consecutive semifinal rounds at majors.
Breaking the Quarterfinal Curse
Pegula had added significance beyond just reaching another semifinal. It had become something of a brick wall at Melbourne Park, the site of three straight quarterfinal losses between 2021 and 2023 that raised doubts about whether she could ever break through there. Her resounding victory over Anisimova answered both questions with a flourish, demonstrating that she has learned from beating after disappointment and matured mentally.
The win additionally keeps up Pegula’s excellent recent record at Grand Slam tournaments. After advancing to the US Open semifinals in her home country last year, she has continued to ride that wave into 2026, now playing some of the best tennis of her career at age 31.
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