Top seed Sabalenka stunned by Pegula as American reaches Berlin final

Top seed Aryna Sabalenka saw her Wimbledon preparations take a major hit as she was stunned by Jessica Pegula in the deciding set of the Berlin Open semi-finals.

The American sealed her fourth win over Sabalenka in 13 WTA Tour meetings with a stunning 6-4 6-7 (4-7) 6-0 victory as she secured a spot in the final.

The ​28-year-old, who exited the ‌French Open in the quarter-finals to Russian ​Diana Shnaider, struggled to find her rhythm after a slow start, and Pegula ​took the opening set ⁠following an early ⁠break.

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Sabalenka stunned

Since the WTA rankings were first published in 1975, Aryna Sabalenka is now the first world No 1 to concede 6-0 deciding sets at multiple and consecutive WTA-level events

Pegula was leading 3-1 in the second-set tie-break before a rain delay lasting over two hours washed away her momentum and handed it to Sabalenka, who sent the contest into a deciding set shoot-out.

Pegula, the 2024 Berlin champion, reasserted control by winning the final six games, sweeping Sabalenka in the decider.

All four of Sabalenka's Grand Slam titles - her most recent at the 2025 US Open - have come on hard courts, and she ⁠is still chasing a first ​Wimbledon crown after three semi-final ​runs.

She lost this year's ​Australian Open final to Elena Rybakina ⁠in three sets, a year after finishing runner-up to Madison ⁠Keys.

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Pegula will face either Czech Linda ​Noskova or the Philippines' Alexandra Eala in Sunday's final.

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