Noskova Defeats Pegula in Berlin for First Grass Title

Linda Noskova claimed her biggest career title on Sunday on the Berlin grass, battling past Jessica Pegula 6-4, 4-6, 6-3. 

“What a week,” she said. “Congrats to Jess – you’re an incredible and really tricky player to play, no matter what surface. It was really tricky to play you in the final.” 

Noskova will make her Top 10 debut on Monday as a result, and head to Wimbledon as one of the threats to make a run. 

The hard-hitting Czech had Pegula on the back foot for much of the match, ripping flat groundstrokes that skidded on the grass off of both wings. Noskova has now won 11 of her last 13 matches on grass, dating back to the start of her run to the Bad Homburg semis last year. 

“Sabalenka, Anisimova, Rybakina – she is in that group now when it comes to power,” said Sam Querrey, who commented on the final for Tennis Channel. 

Noskova only dropped one set in her run, and really wasn’t tested until Sunday’s final. 

“She’s relentless,” said Danielle Collins, who also talked about the final on Tennis Channel. “Even when things aren’t going her way, she goes right back to it and plays that aggressive game style, and I think that really overwhelms players.” 

After a five and a half hour delay due to heavy rains and winds, the final kicked off under sunny skies well after 5 PM. 

After a trade of breaks, Noskova kept up the pressure and broke in the tenth game, clinching the set after forcing a Pegula error. 

Pegula hit back in the second set, breaking at love in the seventh game and finishing off the set three games later. 

But it was Noskova who attacked more fearlessly in the decider, she broke for 2-0 and made the lead stand up, saving a pair of break points to hold for 5-2 before closing out the title two games later. 

Noskova finished with 39 winners to 33 for Pegula, and the one break in the final set was the difference. There were 25 aces in this high octane match – 14 for Pegula and 11 for Noskova, who notched her 13th career Top 10 win. 

The 21-year-old joins Petra Kvitova and Marketa Vondrousova as the third Czech champion in the last four years at Berlin.