Overview
- Defending champion Jessica Pegula beat 18-year-old Iva Jovic 6-4, 5-7, 6-3 in Saturday’s semifinal to reach the Credit One Charleston Open title match.
- Yuliia Starodubtseva advanced with a 6-1, 6-4 upset of 2019 champion Madison Keys, saving six of eight break points to make her first WTA final.
- Pegula has gone the distance in all four matches this week and has logged more than 10 hours on court, a pattern that has defined her title defense.
- Starodubtseva, a former Old Dominion University player ranked No. 89, entered the main draw after Amanda Anisimova withdrew and has turned the opening into a breakthrough run.
- Charleston is a WTA 500 event on green clay at the start of the spring clay swing, and Pegula’s progress also preserves her hold on the No. 5 ranking for now.