DREAM FINAL IN THE KURPARK: TOP-SEEDED WORLD NO. 3 PEGULA FACES FIVE-TIME GRAND SLAM CHAMPION
It’s the dream final! The historic Kurpark will provide the perfect backdrop for a very special final this Saturday at 1:30 p.m. The tennis world will turn its attention to the Spielbank Bad Homburg Centre Court just ahead of Wimbledon, as two of the very best players on the WTA Tour battle for the tournament’s iconic elephant trophy.
The most successful active major winner, with five Grand Slam titles, will challenge the top-seeded world No. 3: Iga Swiatek faces Jessica Pegula. The former world No. 1 versus last year’s US Open finalist—this high-profile clash could easily be the final in Melbourne, Paris, New York, or even in two weeks at Wimbledon.
“Iga does so many things well. Her footwork is great, her return is strong—she can dictate a match. That’s why Iga is a champion!” said Pegula with admiration for Swiatek, who is considered a national hero in Poland—the female equivalent of Robert Lewandowski.
Swiatek, 24, is still missing the Wimbledon title—the elusive triumph on the hallowed lawns of Church Road that makes a tennis player truly immortal.
The streak continues: Paolini still can’t beat Swiatek
Perhaps it’s a good omen that Swiatek won the junior title at Wimbledon back in 2018—the same year Angelique Kerber was crowned Queen on Centre Court. Kerber’s coach at the time, Wim Fissette, is now part of Swiatek’s box. Much within "Team Iga" seems geared toward that long-awaited success in southwest London.
And at the moment, things are going very well for the four-time French Open champion, who only began her short grass-court season at the Bad Homburg Open powered by Solarwatt. With a commanding 6-1, 6-3 win over second seed Jasmine Paolini—a rematch of the 2024 Roland Garros final—Swiatek reached her first-ever final on grass on Friday. “I’m super happy with how I played,” said the right-hander from Warsaw with relief.
The only thing that bothered Swiatek in the first set was a persistent wasp that distracted her during her serve. As in the previous three encounters, Paolini once again found no answer against the Pole. Fittingly, Swiatek sealed victory on her third match point with a forehand winner.
Youngster Noskova just two points from victory against Pegula
Pegula, 31, had a much tougher time on the once again sold-out Centre Court (3,800 spectators). She had to dig deep for her 6-7 (2-7), 7-5, 6-1 semifinal win over rising Czech star Linda Noskova.
Noskova, with her impressive serve, had stunned rising talent Mirra Andreeva in the previous round. At 5-4 in the second set, Noskova was just two points from victory at 30-all. But Pegula kept her cool and then reeled off 13 points in a row. The tide had turned.
In the doubles final on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. on the Spielbank Bad Homburg Centre Court, Hanyu Guo and Alexandra Panova will face Lyudmyla Kichenok and Ellen Perez.
