Jessica Pegula beats No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka at WTA Finals and clinches a spot in the semis

As match point after match point came and went there were six in all she didn’t convert Jessica Pegula made sure she stayed calm and didn’t, as she put it, “freak out” against No. 1-ranked Aryna Sabalenka at the WTA Finals.

When her seventh chance to end things arrived, Pegula finally was able to complete a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Sabalenka in round-robin action at the season-ending championship for the top eight players in women’s tennis on Tuesday.

“We all, as tennis players, have experienced that to some extent on both sides. So, I mean, I try to use my match experience as best I can,” said Pegula, a 29-year-old American who is now guaranteed to finish atop her group and reach the semifinals in Cancun.

“Every match, you’re always going to feel different. But I think the more you put yourself in those situations, the better you feel when they come up again. It doesn’t feel like you have to panic as much.”

In Tuesday’s other singles match, 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina beat Maria Sakkari 6-0, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (2). That eliminated Sakkari from semifinal contention and means Sabalenka will face Rybakina on Thursday for their group’s second berth in the final four; that’s a rematch of the Australian Open title match in January, won by Sabalenka. Pegula has won both matches and all four sets she’s played so far at these WTA Finals, a year after going 0-3 at the competitio