Jessica Pegula Faces Off Against Elena Rybakina in Australian Open Semifinals
In what promises to be a thrilling matchup, number six-ranked Jessica Pegula is set to take on number five Elena Rybakina in the Australian Open women's singles semifinals on Thursday. The stage is set at Melbourne Park, where Pegula has made a strong run thus far, having finally broken through to her first Australian Open semifinal by beating Amanda Anisimova in straight sets.
Pegula enters the match with momentum and a chance to continue her best run Down Under yet, leveraging the experience that's seen her go deep in recent majors. At 31, she has shown consistency on serve and in crucial second-serve points, which could be key to taking down Rybakina.
On the other hand, Rybakina arrives with a potent blend of big-serve firepower that took down second seed Iga Świątek in the quarterfinals. A former Wimbledon champion and Australian Open finalist in 2023, Rybakina leads all women in aces this tournament and has enjoyed a strong start to 2026, riding confidence built on a late-season surge into the WTA Finals last year.
The head-to-head between these two is evenly split at 3–3, making this matchup potentially tight. While Rybakina's explosiveness and recent form against top opponents may give her an edge, Pegula's consistency makes this a battle to watch.
For those looking to catch the match, coverage of the Australian Open is exclusively broadcast on ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN+, all of which can be live streamed with FuboTV. A free trial subscription gets you access to every televised match, making it easy to tune in and catch all the action.
In what promises to be a thrilling matchup, number six-ranked Jessica Pegula is set to take on number five Elena Rybakina in the Australian Open women's singles semifinals on Thursday. The stage is set at Melbourne Park, where Pegula has made a strong run thus far, having finally broken through to her first Australian Open semifinal by beating Amanda Anisimova in straight sets.
Pegula enters the match with momentum and a chance to continue her best run Down Under yet, leveraging the experience that's seen her go deep in recent majors. At 31, she has shown consistency on serve and in crucial second-serve points, which could be key to taking down Rybakina.
On the other hand, Rybakina arrives with a potent blend of big-serve firepower that took down second seed Iga Świątek in the quarterfinals. A former Wimbledon champion and Australian Open finalist in 2023, Rybakina leads all women in aces this tournament and has enjoyed a strong start to 2026, riding confidence built on a late-season surge into the WTA Finals last year.
The head-to-head between these two is evenly split at 3–3, making this matchup potentially tight. While Rybakina's explosiveness and recent form against top opponents may give her an edge, Pegula's consistency makes this a battle to watch.
For those looking to catch the match, coverage of the Australian Open is exclusively broadcast on ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN+, all of which can be live streamed with FuboTV. A free trial subscription gets you access to every televised match, making it easy to tune in and catch all the action.
! Pegula's consistency is going to be a major factor against Rybakina's big serve 
... but at the same time Rybakina's power could totally take down Pegula if she can't stay focused 
. It's gonna be a real nail-biter, for sure 
. I mean, 3-3 head-to-head is pretty even so this one's really up in the air 
... will we see a major upset or a Pegula victory? 
can't wait to tune in and find out! 
At this stage of her career, 31-year-old Pegula has demonstrated remarkable consistency on serve and second-serve points, which will undoubtedly be crucial in taking down the formidable Rybakina. 
The head-to-head record between these two is eerily even, making this a true battle of titans. 
While Rybakina's recent form and confidence may give her an edge, Pegula's dependability should not be underestimated. 
. pegula's consistency is definitely something to watch out for, especially her second-serve skills 
. head-to-head is 3-3, so it's anyone's game at this point 
. can't wait for thursday's match!
OMG, I'm so hyped for this semifinal matchup between Pegula and Rybakina! Both players have shown incredible skills and determination so far in the tournament 
. Pegula's consistency is definitely going to be a challenge for Rybakina's big-serve firepower 
. But on the other hand, Pegula's experience and consistency are gonna give her an edge in the long run... unless Rybakina's power overpowers her, then it's all over 
!
. Rybakina's gonna give it her all, but I'm putting my money on Pegula to bring home that W 
. Bring on the Australian Open semifinals! 
Pegula's consistency is key here, but Rybakina's big-serve firepower is gonna be tough to deal with 
. I think it's anyone's game at this point - 3-3 head-to-head, you know what can happen 
. One thing for sure, though: whoever wins is gonna have their butt kicked by the winner of the men's semis 
Can't wait to see how this one plays out!
. Pegula's been on fire lately and Rybakina's got that big-serve power that's gonna be tough to handle. The head-to-head is super close at 3-3, so I think either girl could take it all the way. Pegula's experience is huge tho - she's been in these kinds of spots before and knows how to stay focused. Rybakina's got confidence after beating Świątek, but will that serve be enough to take down Pegula? 
! I think Pegula's got a good shot against Rybakina, her consistency on serve is key 
, but Pegula's been playing well lately. It's gonna be a close one, maybe 3 sets? 
. She's played in so many big matches before, she knows how to handle the pressure 
And these players, they're already 30+ years old, when do they retire? 
They're like robots or something.
. Give me a break.
? Please. I'd rather stick to my old-school hobbies like tinkering with electronics or something 
.
. espn's got all the coverage on espn+ so we should definitely be watching this one 
.
. Pegula's consistency on serve is key 
, but Rybakina's ace game is straight fire 
, and if she can keep that going, she might just take this one down 
. Fingers crossed! 
. I think Pegula's experience will be a major factor here - she's been in tough situations before and has come out on top. On the other hand, Rybakina's power is not to be underestimated... this one could go either way! 
but pegula vs rybakina looks legit interesting! i think pegula's got this 
. The women's singles semifinals are always a highlight, and this matchup between Jessica Pegula and Elena Rybakina has me super curious