BAD HOMBURG, Germany (AP) — World No. 3Jessica Pegulabeat five-time major championIga Swiatek6-4, 7-5 to win the grass-court Bad Homburg Open and extend Swiatek's year-long title drought on Saturday. Pegula clinched her third title of 2025 — with the others in Austin, Texas, and Charleston, South Carolina — and it was the ninth title of the American's career. World No. 8 Swiatek sought her first trophy since the2024 French Openand 23rd overall. In their11th career meetingbut first on grass, Pegula won for the fifth time overall.Pegulabeat Swiatek in the quarterfinals at last year's U.S. Open, where she finishedrunner-up. Although Swiatek hit nine aces in the final on Saturday, she also dropped her serve twice. Pegula saved the only break point she faced. Still, Swiatek took heart from her performance. "This tournament shows there is hope for me on grass," she said. "I'm happy we can play here and I'm happy I could prove that." The former No. 1 has won four French Opens and one U.S. Open but has never been beyond the quarterfinals at Wimbledon. Pegula has also never been past the last eight atWimbledon, where plays starts on Monday in London. Elsewhere on Saturday, 19-year-old Australian Maya Joint saved four match points as she won the Eastbourne Open final against Filipino qualifier Alexandra Eala 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (10). ___ AP tennis:https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
