Jessica Pegula can only thanks her lucky stars that she was not punished for making a meal of her opening set against Emma Navarro in the quarterfinals. Not one or two, she wasted away half a dozen set points against her compatriot before prevailing 6-7, 6-2, 6-1.
The former US Open finalist could not move past the round-of-16 stage of the China Open in her previous two attempts. While she has ducked the trend this time, the success has come after three consecutive three-set victories, including the ones against Marta Kostyuk and Emma Raducanu (saved multiple MPs).
Despite a semifinal finish at the US Open, she carrying unsteady form in the run-to the Asian swing. Having failed to win multiple matches in nine of her last 12 tournaments, it was no surprise that she ended up losing two of three singles matches at the BJK Cup Finals in Shenzhen.
Nevertheless, it is now her turn to set it all right. Until her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in Flushing Meadows, she was on a nine-match winning streak in semifinals. This might be the time to reach her first WTA 1000 final since the runner-up to the aforementioned Belarusian in Miami in March.
Linda Noskova was not allowed to have her say in her only previous appearance at the China Open in 2023 and was forced to withdraw from the second round. Two years later, she has jumped into the semifinal after having, arguably, the least trouble among all four semifinalists.
While she dispatched Anastasia Potapova and Sonay Kartal in the last two rounds in straight sets, the toughest match of the campaign ended up being a third-set retirement win at the hands of comebacking Zheng Qinwen. The youngster doesn't need any further help in bettering her best season.
While she was unable to win two matches in a row in any tournament from Indian Wells to Roland-Garros, the 20-year-old has otherwise been on fire at WTA 500 level and above. It includes being the quarterfinalist in Dubai and reaching the second week at Wimbledon.
On search for her second career title, she must first improve her 4-5 record in semifinals. For what it is worth, she should take inspiration from her recent runner-up finish in Prague on home hard courts, even if she was denied the full glory by compatriot Marie Bouzkova.
Head-to-head: 1-1. About to play her first WTA 1000 semifinal, Linda Noskova would be wise not holding any punches back, just like she did in Dubai earlier this season. Jessica Pegula, to her credit, settled the score in their Bad Homburg semifinal clash, albeit only from the verge of a defeat.