In a thrilling semifinal match at the San Diego Open, Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine defeated top seed American Jessica Pegula 7-6(4), 6-1. Kostyuk, 21, staged a remarkable comeback from a 5-1 deficit in the first set to secure the victory in 1 hour and 35 minutes. She will now face Katie Boulter for the title on Sunday.
Despite trailing 5-1 in the first set, Kostyuk displayed a determined performance and won four consecutive games to level the set at 5-5. She then held off a break point to take a 6-5 lead, eventually clinching the set in a tiebreak. Kostyuk’s aggressive play continued in the second set as she dominated the match with 26 winners to 23 unforced errors.
On the other hand, World No.49 Katie Boulter secured her spot in the final by defeating No.3 seed Emma Navarro 6-3, 6-1. This marks Boulter’s first hard-court final, with impressive wins over top seeds throughout the tournament. The final on Sunday will be the first career meeting between Kostyuk and Boulter, as both players aim to capture their second career titles.
