Berlin Open: Pegula ousts top-seeded Coco Gauff to reach the final

No 4 seed Jessica Pegula advanced to the final of the Berlin Open by beating top seed and doubles partner Coco Gauff 7-5, 7-6 (2) at Rot-Weiss Tennis Club.

With this win, Pegula returns to a WTA final for the first time since reaching the showpiece match in Tokyo last October. The American has had a difficult first half of the year, with injury derailing much of her season.

But she has showed her quality on the grass yet again, outplaying top seed and good friend Gauff to reach a first final of the season.

Pegula, ranked No 5, will face Russian Anna Kalinskaya next.

Ahead of her victory, Jessica Pegula beat Croat wildcard Donna Vekic (6-4, 7-5) and qualifier Katerina Siniakova (7-6 (2), 3-6, 6-3).

Gauff, ranked No 2, defeated Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova (7-6 (6), 6-2) and Tunisian Ons Jabeur, the No 8 seed (7-6 (9) ret.) in the previous rounds of the Berlin tournament.

Berlin WTA 500, other semi-final result (Rot-Weiss Tennis Club, grass, USD 922.573):

• Anna Kalinskaya beat Victoria Azarenka: 6-1, 6-7 (3), 6-1