In the other semifinal, Sofia Kenin advanced to her first Charleston final when her American opponent, No. 8 seed Amanda Anisimova, was forced to retire from their match due to a right hip injury
Top-seeded Jessica Pegula showed her resilience once again, battling through a tense three-set semifinal to secure her spot in the final of the 2025 Credit One Charleston Open. Pegula fought back from two separate breaks down in the third set to clinch a 6-2, 2-6, 7-5 victory over ninth seed Ekaterina Alexandrova in a thrilling two-hour, 18-minute encounter.
The victory marks Pegula’s second consecutive singles final appearance this spring, following her strong run to the final at the WTA 1000 Miami Open. With three final appearances in her last four tournaments, including her WTA 250 title in Austin, the American is continuing to prove herself as one of the most consistent and formidable players on the WTA tour.
“I’ve faced Alexandrova a couple of times now, and it’s always a battle,” Pegula said post-match. “Every time it’s the same: I win the first set, she wins the second, and then she wins the third. I kept thinking, ‘What do I have to do to finally beat her?’ It took everything today—maybe a little bit of luck, a bit of the crowd behind me—but I’m proud I was able to trust myself and do things differently today. I stuck to my plan, and it paid off.”
Pegula’s victory over Alexandrova also secured her 24th WTA main-draw win of the year, moving her one ahead of Aryna Sabalenka, who has 23. The win further highlights Pegula’s stellar start to the 2025 season, and the 29-year-old’s confidence is clearly growing with each passing match.
In the other semifinal, Sofia Kenin advanced to her first Charleston final when her American opponent, No. 8 seed Amanda Anisimova, was forced to retire from their match due to a right hip injury. Kenin was leading 5-2 in the first set when Anisimova, visibly struggling, stopped play.
“I’m feeling very good with the level I’ve been playing this week,” Kenin said after the match. “It’s unfortunate that Amanda had to retire. I really hope she recovers quickly. She’s had a great year, and I wish her the best.”
Kenin’s walkover means she will meet Pegula in what promises to be an exciting all-American final on Saturday. This will be the first all-American final in Charleston since 1990 when Martina Navratilova defeated Jennifer Capriati. The showdown between Pegula and Kenin, both in excellent form, is sure to ignite the crowd in what will be a thrilling conclusion to the prestigious clay court event.
For Pegula, the chance to claim her first Charleston Open title represents another significant step forward in what has already been a career-defining season. As for Kenin, the opportunity to capture her first Charleston title since her 2020 Australian Open triumph makes for a highly anticipated final, setting the stage for what could be a classic clash of two rising American stars.
