Pegula Wins Dubai WTA 1000 Title in Dominant Final

World No.5 Jessica Pegula won the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships title on Saturday night, defeating Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina in straight sets 6-2, 6-4. With this victory, Pegula became the first American to win the prestigious WTA 1000 event in more than a decade.

Playing at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium, Pegula delivered a strong and confident performance, securing her 10th career WTA title in just 73 minutes. She broke Svitolina’s serve three times early in the first set to take a 4-1 lead and maintained control throughout the match.

Pegula, who turns 32 on Tuesday, called the win a “great birthday present” and said she was happy to take the trophy home after a consistent week of tennis.

Svitolina, the No.7 seed and a two-time Dubai champion (2017 and 2018), appeared tired after a tough three-hour semi-final win over World No.4 Coco Gauff less than 24 hours earlier. The physical and mental strain showed in the final, as she struggled with footwork and made more mistakes than usual.

Despite the loss, Svitolina remained positive. The World No.9 said she was proud of her performance during the tournament and acknowledged Pegula’s consistency and strong level of play in the final.

Pegula has been one of the most consistent players on tour in recent months, reaching six consecutive semi-finals before finally converting one into a title in Dubai. This is also her first WTA title outside North America, adding special significance to the victory.

After winning the final point, Pegula raised her arms in celebration as fireworks lit up the stadium, marking her breakthrough moment in Dubai.

Doubles Final Result

Earlier in the evening, the fifth-seeded pair of Gabriela Dabrowski (Canada) and Luisa Stefani (Brazil) won the doubles title. They defeated Germany’s Laura Siegemund and Russia’s Vera Zvonareva 6-1, 6-3 in 70 minutes.

Dabrowski dedicated the victory to her best friend’s father, Mike Smith, who has been battling cancer for 12 years, calling him an inspiration throughout the tournament.

The 26th edition of the tournament took place from February 15–21 and featured 16 of the world’s top 20 players, making it one of the strongest fields on the WTA calendar.