Pegula scored a perfect 10 points to defeat Svitolina to win the Dubai title – Tennis Now
Jessica Pegula has been one of the most consistent forces in women’s tennis over the past three years. The world number five cemented that status with four top-20 wins in Dubai this week, ending her title run with a dominant 6-2, 6-4 win over ninth-ranked Elena Svitolina. This marks her tenth WTA title and her fourth WTA 1000 title.
Pegula, 30, is the third American woman to win the Dubai crown, following Lindsay Davenport and Venus Williams.
It's Jess' moment in Dubai 🥹🙌🏆@JPegula | #DDFTennis pic.twitter.com/wWG5ERhWvz
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) February 21, 2026
Pegula, appearing in her first Dubai final and her eighth at the WTA 1000 level, made few mistakes. She opened the ninth career meeting between the two with a break, and then Svitolina’s long forehand serve earned her a second break.
Svitolina enters WTA 1000 finals with a 4-0 record and a 19-4 record in championship matches, but the two-time Dubai champion (2017, 2018) has not won at this level since winning in Rome in 2018. Playing in her 19th WTA final since the start of 2020, Pegula produced an impressive attacking performance to ensure the Ukrainian’s title drought continued. tennis.
This was the first matchup between more than 30 finalists in the history of the tournament. Svitolina successfully saved a set point in the first set at 1-5 on serve, but Pegula quickly took care of things in the next game and ended the game in an easy 34 minutes.
“If she wins this match, I hope she hits that forehand tonight and goes to a nice dinner – maybe some wine and candles,” Andrea Petkovic said while commentating on the match for Tennis Channel.
Pegula is 13-2 on the season, notching his 30th career top-10 win and 53rd top-20 win on Saturday. She defeated No. 20 Eva Jovic, No. 15 Clara Towson and No. 6 Amanda Anisimova to reach the final.
Pegula’s 10 WTA titles
| # | Year | Contest | grade | surface | final opponent | Fraction |
| 1 | 2019 | washington d.c. | Women’s Tennis Association 250 | difficult | Camilla George | 6–2, 6–2 |
| 2 | 2022 | Guadalajara | WTA 1000 | difficult | Maria Sakkari | 6–2, 6–3 |
| 3 | 2023 | montreal | WTA 1000 | difficult | Lyudmila Samsonova | 6–1, 6–0 |
| 4 | 2023 | Seoul | Women’s Tennis Association 250 | difficult | Yuan Yue | 6–2, 6–3 |
| 5 | 2024 | Berlin | Women’s Professional Tennis Association Top 500 | Grass | Anna Kalinskaya | 6–7(0), 6–4, 7–6(3) |
| 6 | 2024 | toronto | WTA 1000 | difficult | Amanda Anisimova | 6–3, 2–6, 6–1 |
| 7 | 2025 | austin | Women’s Tennis Association 250 | difficult | Wang Xiyu | 6–4, 7–6(4) |
| 8 | 2025 | charleston | Women’s Professional Tennis Association Top 500 | clay | Danielle Collins | 3–6, 6–4, 7–5 |
| 9 | 2025 | bad homburg | Women’s Professional Tennis Association Top 500 | Grass | Iga Swiatek | 6–4, 7–5 |
| 10 | 2026 | Dubai | WTA 1000 | difficult | Elena Svitolina | 6–2, 6–4 |
Svitolina could be forgiven for a slow start as she faced off against Coco Gauff in Friday’s semifinal, which lasted three hours and three minutes. Her pace was more aggressive in the second set, but Pegula stayed one step ahead, attacking the net and hitting a perfect backhand volley to make it 3-2.
Svitolina tried to stem the tide, saving two break points on serve at 2-4 to claim the championship point at 3-5, 30-40, but Pegula was simply too committed.
After 73 minutes of precise precision, she sealed victory on the second match point.
Pegula had 11 break-serve opportunities on the day, including 4 breaks, and she won 18 points in 27 second-serve return points. Judging from her serving results, she held her serve in eight out of nine games.
WTA Dubai Champion
| Year | champion | runner up | Fraction |
| 2026 | Jessica Pegula | Elena Svitolina | 6–2, 6–4 |
| 2025 | Mira Andreeva | Clara Towson | 7–6(1), 6–1 |
| 2024 | Jasmine Paolini | Anna Kalinskaya | 4–6, 7–5, 7–5 |
| 2023 | Barbora Krejcikova | Iga Swiatek | 6–4, 6–2 |
| 2022 | Jenna Ostapenko | Veronika Kudermetova | 6–0, 6–4 |
| 2021 | Garbiñe Muguruza | Barbora Krejcikova | 7–6(6), 6–3 |
| 2020 | Simona Halep (2) | Elena Rybakina | 3–6, 6–3, 7–6(5) |
| 2019 | Belinda Bencic | Petra Kvitova | 6–3, 1–6, 6–2 |
| 2018 | Elena Svitolina (2) | Darya Kasatkina | 6–4, 6–0 |
| 2017 | Elena Svitolina | Caroline Wozniacki | 6–4, 6–2 |
| 2016 | Sara Errani | Barbora Strycova | 6–0, 6–2 |
| 2015 | Simona Halep | Karolina Pliskova | 6–4, 7–6(4) |
| 2014 | Venus Williams (3) | Alize Cornet | 6–3, 6–0 |
| 2013 | Petra Kvitova | Sara Errani | 6–2, 1–6, 6–1 |
| 2012 | Agnieszka Radwanska | Julia Gorges | 7–5, 6–4 |
| 2011 | Caroline Wozniacki | Svetlana Kuznetsova | 6–1, 6–3 |
| 2010 | Venus Williams (2) | Victoria Azarenka | 6–3, 7–5 |
| 2009 | Venus Williams | Virginie Razzano | 6–4, 6–2 |
| 2008 | Elena Dementieva | Svetlana Kuznetsova | 4–6, 6–3, 6–2 |
| 2007 | Justin Hennig (4) | Amelie Mauresmo | 6–4, 7–5 |
| 2006 | Justin Hennig (3) | Maria Sharapova | 7–5, 6–2 |
| 2005 | Lindsay Davenport | Jelena Jankovic | 6–4, 3–6, 6–4 |
| 2004 | Justin Hennig (2) | Svetlana Kuznetsova | 7–6(3), 6–3 |
| 2003 | Justin Hennig | Monica Seles | 4–6, 7–6(4), 7–5 |
| 2002 | Amelie Mauresmo | Sandrine Testard | 6–4, 7–6(3) |
| 2001 | Martina Hingis | Natalie Tauziat | 6–4, 6–4 |
