Top-seeded Jessica Pegula fought back from a set and a break down to triumph over defending champion Danielle Collins in the Charleston Open quarterfinals. Pegula secured a 1-6, 6-3, 6-0 victory in 1 hour and 44 minutes, winning the last nine games of the match.
Pegula maintains a perfect 6-0 head-to-head record against Collins, a streak that spans 13 years. Their rivalry began in 2012 at an ITF event, and throughout their encounters, Collins has only managed to win two sets out of fourteen.
This victory marks Pegula`s fourth semifinal appearance in 2025 and her third consecutive semifinal in Charleston. Having previously been stopped at this stage, she will now compete for her first Charleston final against either No. 3 seed Zheng Qinwen or No. 9 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova.
Turning Point: Collins started strong, dominating the first set in just 27 minutes. She displayed exceptional form with 12 winners and controlled every aspect of the game. Collins continued her momentum into the second set, taking a 2-0 lead. However, the crucial fourth game of the second set shifted the momentum. Despite holding game points to extend her lead to 3-1, Collins couldn`t convert. Pegula seized the opportunity, breaking back and changing the course of the match.
Following that pivotal game, Collins` error count increased significantly. After committing only nine unforced errors in the first set, she accumulated 46 errors in the subsequent two sets, including seven double faults. Pegula capitalized on these errors, winning 12 of the final 13 games and securing her place in the semifinals.
Pegula`s Perspective: “She came out playing incredibly aggressively, and I wasn`t prepared for that intensity,” Pegula admitted in her on-court interview. “Fortunately, I managed to regain my footing in the second set and improve my game.”
“I`m not sure if I got fired up, but I definitely felt relieved when she started missing shots – it gave me a chance! I tried to vary my play by using slices and drop shots more. Her backhand is exceptional, so I focused on avoiding it. I also concentrated on smarter serving, as she was returning very well and hitting winners off my serve. I needed to improve my serve placement.”
Rupert Caldwell