Pegula beats Kenin to win Charleston Open title

Jessica Pegula turned around a second-set deficit in stunning fashion en route to capturing the Credit One Charleston Open title on Sunday by beating fellow American Sofia Kenin 6-3, 7-5.

The first all-American final in Charleston in three decades looked like it was ticketed for three sets as 2020 Australian Open champion Kenin built a 5-1 lead in the second set after dropping the first. In the next game, the former World No. 4 had three set points on return, but converted none of them — and she wouldn’t have another.

Pegula streaked to six consecutive games to capture her second title of the season, adding to the WTA 250 title she won in Austin last month.

The top seed also won four straight games to win the first set — as Kenin previously turned around a 0-2 start to build a 3-2 lead.

“I just realized how tired I was,” Pegula told Tennis Channel post-match. “She started to play a high level, there were a couple of games I didn’t get out of, didn’t break, didn’t hold. It was super windy, super tough conditions. If you lost focus for a split second or stopped moving your feet for a second, it just swings so fast. It was the same way for both of us.”

“In the second set, I just wanted to hold, I just wanted to tell myself to get momentum for the third, because coming into a third like that never feels good,” she continued. “I knew I could break her, too. I honestly didn’t think I was going to break her twice, but luckily, I could play some good tennis.”

Pegula has now won 17 of her last 19 matches, and with five victories this week, has 25 for the season — which is No. 1 on the Hologic WTA Tour. On Monday, she will supplant Coco Gauff as the top-ranked U.S. player, and rise to a career-high World No. 3.

Pegula also joins an illustrious list of home champions in Charleston as the 10th American to win the title all-time. She joins Rosie Casals, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Tracy Austin, Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Sloane Stephens, Madison Keys and Danielle Collins.