Iga Swiatek to Face Jessica Pegula in Bad Homburg Final

BAD HOMBURG, Germany — Iga Swiatek has advanced to her first grass court final by defeating Jasmine Paolini in the semifinals of the Bad Homburg Open on Friday. Swiatek dominated the match, winning with a score of 6-1, 6-3, marking her sixth Top 10 victory of the year.

Swiatek’s victory came in just 1 hour and 6 minutes, improving her record over Paolini to 5-0. The World No. 4 led throughout the match, only briefly losing her serve at the beginning of the second set before regaining control. “I knew how I wanted to play and I just went for it,” Swiatek said after the match. Despite struggling early in the second set, Swiatek was able to maintain her lead and never looked back.

This win allows Swiatek a chance to compete for her first title on grass against the top seed Jessica Pegula on Sunday. Pegula, who recently praised Swiatek’s abilities, staged a remarkable comeback in her own semifinal against unseeded Linda Noskova, ultimately winning 6-7(2), 7-5, 6-1. Pegula, who is seeking her third title of 2025, noted that she hadn’t played against Swiatek on grass before, which could serve as an advantage.

Reflecting on her semifinal match, Pegula shared, “When she’s firing on all cylinders, she’s really good… but I’ll try to use the surface to disrupt her rhythm a little bit.” As the two prepare for their first encounter on grass, both players are eager to secure the title.

The final is expected to be a highly competitive match, with Swiatek looking to capture her first-ever title on grass, while Pegula aims to extend her winning streak this season. The stage is set for an exciting showdown at the Bad Homburg Open.