Jessica Pegula is making the most of her second chance in Doha. A day after saving two match points in a thrilling three-set victory over Jelena Ostapenko, the No.2 seed was at her efficient best in a 6-3, 6-2 win over Beatriz Haddad Maia in Thursday's quarterfinals where she will face No.5 seed Maria Sakkari.

Needing just 85 minutes to beat Haddad Maia in their first meeting, Pegula is through to her second career semifinal at the Qatar TotalEnergies Open, having first done so as a qualifier in 2021.

Words from the winner: Pegula won six matches to reach the final four in Doha two years ago, but matches the feat this year with just two wins after a first-round bye. 

"It's a little bit different than the qualifying days," Pegula joked after the match. "It's a lot easier physically, but definitely still very tough with how strong and tough the field is."

Match management: Pegula managed cool and blustery conditions at the Khalifa International Tennis & Squash Complex the better of the two players. She hit 22 winners to 16 unforced errors in victory, while Haddad Maia totaled only 12 winners to 20 unforced errors. 

Pegula also broke serve four times, and after losing serve to start the match, never again trailed. She broke Haddad Maia back immediately, and won eight of nine games played from 2-2 to put herself firmly in command. 

Sakkari edges Garcia to make second consecutive semifinal

No.5 seed Maria Sakkari advanced after edging No.3 seed Caroline Garcia 6-2, 6-7(5), 7-6(5) in the quarterfinals. Coming off a semifinal run in Linz, Sakkari has enjoyed a gritty week in Doha, having already earned wins over Zheng Qinwen and Ekaterina Alexandrova before earning her first Top 5 win of the season.

Highlights: Sakkari d. Garcia

Sakkari began the match in full control, breaking Garcia's serve twice in the opening set to build her advantage. But those would remain the only breaks of serve in the match for either player, as both Sakkari and Garcia would go unbroken in the final two sets. Sakkari saved all three break points she faced in the match to keep a clean sheet, while Garcia faced just five break points.

"The conditions were very tough for both of us," Sakkari said. "I think we did a really good job in the second set of holding our serves and not giving the opponent a chance to break. You don't see that often in women's tennis. It was pretty impressive. 

"That third-set tiebreak was something special. I was brave, when in the second-set tiebreak I wasn't, and I'm just very happy."

Sakkari finished with 30 winners to 21 unforced errors in the 2-hour and 41-minute match, while Garcia finished with 43 winners to 44 unforced errors.

Sakkari leads the head-to-head 4-2 over Pegula. The two split their four meetings in 2022, with Pegula winning their biggest match in the Guadalajara final and Sakkari winning their last meeting at the WTA Finals.