New York, Sep 5 (IANS) In a clash between two former finalists, American Jessica Pegula outsmarted Leylah Fernandez with sustained top-class performance in the women’s singles third round of the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York on Friday.
Pegula stormed back after losing the first set to keep Leylah Fernandez of Canada at bay for a 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory and secure a place in the fourth round.
The place in the fourth round means Pegula is on course for a maiden Grand Slam title and No. 1 ranking, both goals still looking obtainable in the next week.
Heading onto court, Pegula had not lost more than three games in any of her four sets this tournament. However, the American star was a bit erratic in the opening exchanges, in stark contrast to the depth whipped in by left-hander Fernandez.
The Canadian surged to a 3-0 lead and was reading the game well, looking a step ahead in the prolonged rallies. With a deft forehand volley and plenty of angled approach shots, the 23-year-old sat down with a set lead with just 30 minutes on the clock.
Pegula had to clean up her game for a comeback, landing just 31 percent of first serves and mistiming 11 unforced errors in an out-of-character opening set.
The world No. 3 found her range on serve, fending off five second-set break points with heavy deliveries and smart placement to open up a 5-2 advantage. Although Fernandez reduced the deficit, the 32-year-old withstood a barrage of piercing groundstrokes from Fernandez to claim the point in a lung-bursting 26-shot rally.
The American player did not back down, clenched her fist, and walked to the changeover with a decider incoming. Pegula was still scrapping, still searching for her tour-leading level. The decisive moment came when the home hope entered ‘no miss mode’ to obtain a 3-1 break advantage. It was a huge effort, yet Pegula survived into the second week.
–IANS
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