The final match at the Credit One Charleston Open on Sunday is a story of perseverance.

Jessica Pegula, the top seed, has reached her first final in Charleston after semifinal losses in the previous two years. To get here, she fought hard to overcome Ekaterina Alexandrova in a match that lasted over two hours with numerous breaks of serve. Pegula demonstrated resilience by saving 15 of 21 break points against her.

Pegula mentioned her strong feeling about playing in Charleston and her determination to win the title this year, a goal she set for herself in Miami.

Her keywords are: Determination. Diligence. Tenacity.

Sofia Kenin, the 2020 Australian Open champion, is making a comeback after a period away from Grand Slam finals. After falling in rankings, Kenin has been steadily improving her game.

Kenin advanced to the final after Amanda Anisimova retired due to injury in their semifinal match. A victory against Pegula would mark Kenin`s first title in five years and propel her back into the Top 25 rankings.

This is the first All-American final in Charleston since 1990, when Martina Navratilova defeated Jennifer Capriati.

Kenin expressed her excitement about the final being between two Americans and her hope to win the trophy.

Let`s analyze the strengths of both finalists.

Pegula`s Advantage

Professional tennis demands constant adaptation, but Pegula has shown remarkable adaptability this week.

Just last Saturday, she competed in the Miami Open final against Aryna Sabalenka on a fast hard court. Despite losing, Pegula quickly shifted focus to the Charleston Open, transitioning to slower green clay with ease as the top seed.

After only a few practice sessions on clay, Pegula started the tournament strongly, winning her second-round match convincingly.

Now, she is competing in her second final within eight days and her third final this season.

Pegula leads the WTA Tour this year with 24 match wins. Her victory over Alexandrova was her eighth consecutive semifinal win. The crucial step now is to convert semifinal success into a title. Overcoming the Charleston semifinal hurdle might be the key to achieving this.

Pegula holds a slight 3-2 advantage in head-to-head matches against Kenin. While Pegula won their last encounter at the US Open, Kenin won their match on clay at Roland Garros four years ago.

Pegula sees similarities between Alexandrova`s and Kenin`s playing styles.

“They both like to take the ball early and redirect it effectively,” Pegula noted. “Strong backhands and return games are characteristic of both. I anticipate another tough match, similar to today`s. I’ll need to play my best and apply the lessons learned from my semifinal.”

A win on Sunday would elevate Pegula to No. 3 in the WTA rankings, surpassing Coco Gauff and matching her career-high ranking, providing a significant confidence boost for the European clay-court season.

Kenin`s Advantage

As an unseeded player in the quarterfinals, Kenin is playing freely, without the pressure of expectation that Pegula, as the top seed, might feel.

Kenin had previously struggled in Charleston, with only two wins in six appearances. However, ranked No. 44, she quickly equaled that win count this year by defeating Bernarda Pera and Belinda Bencic in straight sets. She then upset fifth seed Daria Kasatkina, followed by a straight-sets victory over Anna Kalinskaya to reach the semifinals.

Kenin`s last streak of four consecutive wins was in Tokyo last fall, where she reached the final, also defeating Kasatkina.

Her previous win against Pegula at Roland Garros should not be overlooked. Kenin`s angled game is well-suited for clay courts, while Pegula`s flatter shots are typically more effective on hard surfaces.

“Jessica is incredibly consistent,” Kenin acknowledged. “Her week-in, week-out performance is admirable. I respect her a lot. I hope she might be slightly off her game tomorrow so I can have a chance to win.”

“I expect a tough battle and for her to be fully ready and recovered.”

Kenin has made significant progress in a short time. Just in February, ranked No. 75, she had to qualify for an event in Abu Dhabi and lost in the first round.

Now, she is on the verge of achieving a significant personal milestone.

“My current mindset and game have shifted,” Kenin explained. “I am not just hoping to win a few games against Jess; I am going into this match with the firm intention of winning.”