Jabeur Holds Off Pegula For Biggest Career Title At Madrid Masters

It looked far from good for Ons Jabeur in the second set, but the Tunisian No. 1 rebounded in the third to defeat Jessica Pegula 7-5, 0-6, 6-2 to win her biggest career title at the Madrid Masters.

Jabeur came from 4-1 and a set point down in the first. Then appeared to be ailing in a one-sided second set as the American gained confidence and momentum. But the 27-year-old Jabeur quickly put a stop to that and cruised in the decider.

“[Pegula] was really good, putting a lot of pressure, playing kind of the game that I don’t like,” Jabeur said.

“As soon as I was 30-0 down on my serve, I was like, ‘Of course you want to make it tougher. Of course you want to suffer here. You don’t want to just finish an easy game,” she said of serving it out.

“When I had the match point, I was like, I had to win it from the beginning, otherwise it’s going to be very tough for me. But I’m very happy and trying to realize that I won today, really.”

It’s Jabeur’s second career title after 2021 Birmingham, and improves her record in finals to 2-4. She had lost in the Charleston final last month to Belinda Bencic who she beat earlier in the week.

“I’m so happy that I didn’t wait long, because I was really disappointed after Charleston and Stuttgart,” said Jabeur. “I was really close and I know I was playing really good there. But I have been doing a lot of hard work to see that it’s paying off. I cannot describe how I feel right now.”

Pegula was also second her second career title and first on clay. It was her first final since 2020 Auckland.

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