Pegula wins three more sets to advance to Charleston semifinals – Tennis Now
By Eric Guderis Friday, April 3, 2026
Photo Credit: Charleston Tennis LLC
Defending Charleston champion Jessica Pegula relied on her sense of humor to help her reach the semifinals again at the WTA 500 event.
Top-seeded Pegula defeated seventh-seeded Diana Schneider 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 to reach her fourth consecutive Credit One Charleston Open semifinals.
Pegula said after the game that relying on her sense of humor, she had to play another three-set match, her third, to retain her title.
“It was the only thing that kept me alive,” Pegula later said. “So I think I was a little frustrated after the first set today because I was really serious? After losing the first set I now have to officially win three games and it’s the same thing.
“I got all the breaks, but I didn’t know if I was going to convert them and all that stuff. So it was a bit of a rollercoaster for me. But, yeah, I guess my sense of humor kept me going.”
Pegula needed three sets to defeat Yulia Putintseva and Elisabeth Cociareto earlier in the match.
The back-and-forth quarterfinals didn’t really come to a close until midway through the deciding set.
Although Schneider took an early 2-0 lead, Pegula fought back. Pegula performed well in the final six games to seal a spot in the Final Four.
“Honestly, I thought I had no life left,” Pegula later told the court. “I was really frustrated, the ball was slow and wet and stuffy and I felt like the ball wasn’t going anywhere. I was really angry with myself at the end of the first set. I felt like the last few games were the same. I was just able to hold on to my serve, find some rhythm and serve well and then find a way to break serve. I started to step in better and play more aggressive at the end of the third set.”
Pegula, ranked No. 5 in the world, is 9-1 in three sets this year and 18-4 since the U.S. Open. She also reached the semifinals for the fourth time in six games this season.
Pegula awaits the winner of tonight’s match between Eva Jovic and Anna Kalinskaya.
