Experience prevails in all-American quarterfinal clash
Jessica Pegula secured her place in the Australian Open semifinals after defeating fellow American Amanda Anisimova in an all-American quarterfinal, with experience ultimately proving decisive against youth.
Pegula in complete control early
The opening set was marked by Pegula’s dominance. The world No. X (placeholder if ne želiš ranking) did not face a single break point on her serve and controlled proceedings from the baseline with consistency and discipline.
Pegula broke Anisimova twice and comfortably closed out the first set, while her opponent struggled to find rhythm. Known for her powerful forehand, Anisimova produced more errors than winners in the early stages, committing 13 unforced errors in the set compared to just six from Pegula.
Momentum shifts in the second set
The second set told a very different story. Anisimova regrouped, cleaned up her game and was rewarded with an early break, eventually taking a 5–3 lead as the momentum swung in her favor.
Pegula, however, responded with the composure expected from a seasoned competitor. She broke back, applied immediate pressure again and moved ahead 6–5, appearing poised to serve out the match.
Just when it seemed the contest was nearing its conclusion, Anisimova struck back once more, breaking Pegula’s serve and forcing a tiebreak.
Mental strength decides the tiebreak
In the decisive tiebreak, Pegula’s mental strength and experience came to the fore. She raised her level at the crucial moments, dominated the exchanges and raced through the tiebreak 7–1 to seal victory and advance to the semifinals.
The match highlighted Pegula’s ability to remain calm under pressure, while Anisimova showed flashes of her considerable potential despite inconsistency at key moments.
For broader context on the significance of this stage of the tournament, read our full Australian Open 2026: Day 11 Preview.
By si.robi – Pegula RG19 (23), CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=80164761
By si.robi – Anisimova WM19 (24), CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=81288134