Top seed Aryna Sabalenka’s Wimbledon build crumbled when Jessica Pegula dispatched her in the Berlin Open semi‑final. Pegula won 6‑4 6‑7(4‑7) 6‑0, her fourth over Sabalenka in 13 meetings, and booked a spot in the final. Sabalenka, whose four Grand Slam titles—all on hard courts, most recently the 2025 US Open—still seeks a Wimbledon crown.

Pegula surged ahead early, breaking serve to take the opening set. In the second‑set tie‑break she led 3‑1 before a two‑hour rain delay erased her momentum, allowing Sabalenka to level the match. The Belarusian recovered, forcing a decider, but Pegula reclaimed control, rattling Sabalenka with six straight games to seal the third set.

Pegula now awaits either Czech Linda Noskova or Filipino Alexandra Eala in Sunday’s final. Sabalenka, fresh from an Australian Open loss to Elena Rybakina and three Wimbledon semi‑final runs, must regroup quickly if she hopes to chase a first Wimbledon title. The Berlin upset underscores the volatility of the hard‑court season.

Sabalenka’s loss drops her a few places in the WTA rankings, widening the gap to world No. 1 Iga Świątek. Pegula’s victory not only secures a Berlin title but also bolsters her bid for a top‑five finish this season. The win also adds valuable hard‑court points as the tour heads toward the grass season.