The Charleston Open semifinals are upon us, and we saw two fantastic stars, Jessica Pegula and Daria Kasatkina, set to play against each other in the first semifinal. Both players began the year with tournaments that diminished the confidence of fans in them. However, they managed to turn it around in the ongoing Charleston Open and have created immense excitement for the upcoming bout.

The two stars have had a similar track in the current tournament, which promises a bout filled with action. They have shown dominance over their opponents, but now, only one can be the winning star.

Jessica Pegula vs Daria Kasatkina: Preview

After a second-round exit in the Australian Open, Pegula landed in the semifinal of the San Jose Open, where she lost to Marta Kostyuk, 6-7, 1-6. The Indian Wells Masters didn’t bode well for her either, as she lost in the opening-round clash to Anna Blinkova. Miami saw some relief for the American star as she managed to run to the quarterfinal, to be eliminated by Ekaterina Alexandrova 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.

In Charleston, Pegula has not had an easy time. The green clay courts have pushed two of her matches to three sets, with the second round against Magda Linette being her only respite. She almost lost the quarterfinal to Victoria Azarenka but managed to save four match points and end her dreams.

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Kasatkina has played several tournaments this year, with one of her best performances coming in the Abu Dhabi Open, where she reached the final and, unfortunately, lost to Elena Rybakina in two sets. She was ousted in the following Qatar Open with the same result in the Dubai Tennis Championships. The Indian Wells Masters proved better for her as she eliminated Sloane Stephens in the second round but lost in the following match.

The Miami Open would have her exit in the second round, with great performances following in the Charleston Open. She was pushed to three sets in the first round, even being bageled, but managed to end Ashlyn Krueger’s run. Anhelina Kalinina would be breadsticked by her in the second round, with Jaqueline Cristian beating her in the first set but losing the match.

Pegula vs Kasatkina: Head-to-Head

Pegula and Kasatkina have played against each other twice on the WTA Tour. Their first clash came in the 2021 Italian Open, where Pegula took the win in straight sets, with some effort displayed in the first set. She ended the bout 7-5, 6-3. The second match between the two players took place two years later in the quarterfinals of the Tokyo Open.

The hard court would see the American player win once again, but this time, it would be blinding dominance from her side. Pegula won with a breadstick and a bagel, once again leading the H2H. They were also scheduled to play in the 2024 Adelaide International, but Pegula gave a walkover to Kasatkina. In the matches that were played, Pegula has been the better performer, with an edge over her on clay.

Prediction: Pegula to become the finalist in Charleston

She has a good clay court record and even has a psychological advantage against Kasatkina, having defeated her in their prior meetings. Her top-spin heavy groundstrokes and diverse all-around game give her the advantage in contests. Kasatkina has a decent record in the first few rounds of an event, but the Russian has failed to cross the finish line.

Her powerful serve and ability to find a winner all around the court will come in handy on the clay surface. Both players have a strong record on clay, but Pegula has beaten her on clay once already and carries the advantage of being the better current performer. She should be able to pass this test and go to the finals.

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