Pegula saves 5 match points to beat Kalinskaya in Berlin final

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United States’ Jessica Pegula celebrates after beating Russia’s Anna Kalinskaya in their WTA women’s tennis final match in Berlin, Sunday, June 23, 2024. (Hannes P. Albert/dpa via AP)

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United States’ Jessica Pegula, left, poses with the trophy with runner-up Russia’s Anna Kalinskaya after their WTA women’s tennis final match in Berlin, Sunday, June 23, 2024. (Hannes P. Albert/dpa via AP)

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United States’ Jessica Pegula reacts after beating Russia’s Anna Kalinskaya during their WTA women’s tennis final match in Berlin, Sunday, June 23, 2024. (Hannes P. Albert/dpa via AP)

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Russia’s Anna Kalinskaya plays United States’ Jessica Pegula during their WTA women’s tennis final match in Berlin, Sunday, June 23, 2024. (Hannes P. Albert/dpa via AP)

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United States’ Jessica Pegula plays Russia’s Anna Kalinskaya during their WTA women’s tennis final match in Berlin, Sunday, June 23, 2024. (Hannes P. Albert/dpa via AP)

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United States’ Coco Gauff returns the ball to compatriot Jessica Pegula during their semi-final match at the Grass Court Championship in Berlin, Sunday, June 23, 2024. (Hannes P. Albert/dpa via AP)

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United States’ Coco Gauff plays United States’ Jessica Pegula during their singles women quarterfinals match of the WTA Tour in Berlin, Saturday June 22, 2024. (Andreas Gora/dpa via AP)

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United States’ Coco Gauff reacts during her semi-final match against compatriot Jessica Pegula, at the Grass Court Championship in Berlin, Sunday, June 23, 2024. (Hannes P. Albert/dpa via AP)

BERLIN (AP) — Jessica Pegula saved five match points before beating Anna Kalinskaya 6-7 (0), 6-4, 7-6 (3) in the final of the Berlin Ladies Open on Sunday.

“I played some really good tennis this week and I feel like I beat some really good girls, especially on grass,” the American said after her first WTA title this year and fifth of her career. “To be able to gut out a win like that is cool.”

It was also Pegula’s first career title on grass.

Pegula earlier Sunday resumed her suspended semifinal match against top-seeded Coco Gauff to win four of five points and prevail 7-5, 7-6 (2). Rain had interrupted the second-set tiebreaker on Saturday.

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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis