Jessica Pegula Mounts Another Stunning Comeback to Reach Charleston Open Semifinals

By Eppe Franklyne

Jessica Pegula continued her trend of dramatic escapes at the Charleston Open on Friday, fighting back from a set down to defeat Russia’s Diana Shnaider. In a gritty quarterfinal clash that lasted over two hours, the American World No. 5 secured a 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory. This marks the third consecutive match in which the defending champion has lost the opening set, only to dig deep and maintain her quest to retain the title on the green clay.

The 19th-ranked Shnaider appeared to have the upper hand early on, even breaking Pegula’s serve to take a 2-0 lead in the deciding set. However, the American’s resilience shone through as she reeled off six straight games to close out the match. Pegula leaned heavily on her powerful service game, firing eight aces to demoralize her opponent. Having already secured a trophy in Dubai earlier this February, Pegula is now hunting for her second tournament win of 2026. She is scheduled to face fellow American and fourth seed Iva Jovic in the next round.

On the other side of the bracket, the semifinals will feature another former champion, Madison Keys. The fifth-seeded American mirrored Pegula’s resilience by coming from behind to defeat Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 scoreline. This victory marks Keys’ first semifinal appearance of the year and her best run in Charleston since she won the tournament back in 2019. To reach the final, Keys must overcome Ukraine’s Yuliia Starodubtseva, who advanced after a straight-sets win over McCartney Kessler.

With three Americans still in the hunt, the final stages of the WTA event promise high-intensity matchups. Pegula’s incredible record in three-set matches this season—winning nine out of ten—suggests that even when she starts slow, she remains the most dangerous player in the field.

Do you think Jessica Pegula’s habit of losing the first set will eventually catch up to her, or is her stamina in three-setters her greatest weapon?

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