Jessica Pegula and Marta Kostyuk are set to meet on Saturday in a highly anticipated semifinal at the Brisbane International. Pegula, who boasts a wealth of experience and a strong historical advantage in their matchups, will aim to leverage these factors, while Kostyuk hopes to bring her fearless style of play to the outdoor hard courts of the Queensland Tennis Centre.
The match is scheduled for January 10, 2026, on the outdoor hard surface at the WTA 500 event, with live coverage available through Tennis Channel, TSN, and Sky Sports.
In their head-to-head meetings, Pegula has a significant upper hand, leading the series 4-1. Their most recent meeting occurred during the 2025 China Open, where Pegula triumphed with a score of 6-3, 6-7(4), 6-1, showcasing her ability to dominate in key moments.
Competing as the fourth seed, Pegula has faced several challenges in the tournament thus far. She overcame Anna Kalinskaya in a tough first-round match, winning after a competitive start with scores of 6-2, 4-6, 6-4. In the second round, the world No. 6 fought back against Dayana Yastremska, completing a 5-7, 6-2, 6-3 victory. Pegula advanced to the semifinals with a composed 6-3, 7-6(3) win over 10th seed Liudmila Samsonova.
Kostyuk, the 16th seed, has also made an impressive showing in Brisbane. She began her campaign with a remarkable comeback against Yulia Putintseva, winning 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-0. Kostyuk generated significant buzz by defeating the second-seeded Amanda Anisimova 6-4, 6-3 in the quarterfinals, further solidifying her confidence. She continued her success with a 7-6(7), 6-3 win over former world No. 5 Mirra Andreeva, propelling her into the semifinals.
As experts analyze the upcoming semifinal, the focus will be on Pegula’s experience pitted against Kostyuk’s recent surge in form. Despite being ranked 20 places lower, Kostyuk enters the match full of confidence after her string of impressive victories. Notably, she has edged Pegula in certain serving statistics this tournament, winning 74% of her first-serve points compared to Pegula’s 73%, and a better rate on second serves.
Pegula does have an advantage in aces, recording 15 to Kostyuk’s 10, though she has also faced more double faults—nine compared to Kostyuk’s five. Kostyuk will likely adopt an aggressive approach, aiming to apply pressure from the onset.
Despite Kostyuk’s promising performance, Pegula’s familiarity with her game and her existing head-to-head success makes her the favorite entering this matchup. Analysts predict it will be a competitive contest, with some suggesting Pegula could win in three tightly contested sets. The clash promises to be a thrilling encounter, highlighting the contrasting dynamics of experience and youthful exuberance on the court.