Jessica Pegula, brilliant first runner-up of the WTA Finals

The conditions under which the games are played WTA Finals in Cancun They make the ‘teacher tournament’ almost an exercise in survival. Within, Jessica Pegula continues to walk with a steady step: lost this Saturday by 6-2 and 6-1 to Coco Gauff and with that became the first runner-up of the tournament.

Pegula, competing for the second time in this event, one of the best of the year, is having a sensational trip to the lands of Mexico. Without favorable conditions for frills, continues to show great resilience from the back of the court and with it he continues his whole number of victories: four out of four to erase the memory of the three defeats suffered last year and to stay one step away from one of the most important titles in tennis.

Great sensation in the first stage, a great challenge awaits Pegula in the semifinals. Gauff has been one of the big stars in the second half of the season because of the results and the level of play, but he was helpless on Saturday against his compatriot and his doubles partner. With the skies threatening a storm, with a delayed start time and short breaks due to rain, Pegula has made his strength in the back of the court his best weapon.

He knows how to apply his pattern to perfection, trying to risk as much as possible, without looking for lines that could be unforced errors before the wind wants to be part of the fight. He dedicated himself to be solid from the bottom of the track, where a spider web is woven who offered no loophole to Gauff. this, desperate sometimessaw how his friend and rival’s obstacle became insurmountable: Pegula closed the match with ten winners to Gauff’s nine, but also in only ten unforced errors in difficult conditions compared to Coco’s twenty-two.

Pegula knows how to vary the directions and rhythm of the game, sometimes forcing Gauff to make forward movements with short balls. He was equally reliable in solving passes, which made that clear has several speeds in this tournament and they all look equally reliable. In other words, Pegula offered a lesson in resilience, both of which led him to dominate this season in Canada and Seoul.

Gauff had no options, with a constant feeling of not finding his place on the track. Thus he ended the season of his definitive explosion, with his victory at the US Open ringing as one of the moments of 2023. He still has the match for the doubles title with Pegula this Sundayon a busy day for both. But Jessica’s focus is mostly on Monday: she will play against Aryna Sabalenka or against Iga Swiatek in the most important final of her career in search of her fifth WTA title and to close in style WTA Finals which is so far the specialty for her.