Pegula crumbles after holding match points over Mertens

The phrase "it's not over until it's over" was on full display on Thursday in Dubai. Unfortunately for Jessica Pegula, who has been on a hot streak since her Australian Open quarterfinal run, saw her Dubai campaign come crumbling down after holding a massive lead.

Facing one of three match points at, 7-5, 5-4, Mertens hit her second serve and the point was interrupted when the court's lights quickly flashed. The chair umpire would call a let, which meant the entire point was to be re-played.

Pegula was not happy about the call as she was expecting Mertens to re-start the point off with a second serve, not a first serve. However, whenever there is an interference during a point, it always calls for the "whole point" to be played, which includes two serves.

The unfortunate event sparked a downward spiral for the 27-year-old, who was not able to regain focus. She would lose 11 consecutive games, resulting in a 5-7 7-5 6-0 loss to the No. 10 seed. Pegula claimed only nine points in the deciding set.

"I just didn't want to let it go. I kept on fighting and that was the spirit today," Mertens told press following the comeback win.

The Belgian will battle Garbine Muguruza for a spot in the WTA's 1000 event's final.