Jessica Pegula dumped out of 2025 Australian Open as Olga Danilovic follows Novak Djokovic with second Serbian win
ATP
Jessica Pegula will not make a run during this year's Australian Open as she has been knocked out in the third round by the dangerous Serbian, Olga Danilovic on Friday in Melbourne.
Danilovic makes a second tilt at Week Two of a Grand Slam and shows that her Roland Garros run was just the start and not the end. She has seen off comfortably Arantxa Rus and Liudmila Samsonova in the rounds prior.
But this time the stakes were certainly higher, not only in facing the seventh seed who she defeated 7-6, 6-1 but also following on from her hero, Novak Djokovic as Serbia enjoyed two wins in a row on the Rod Laver Arena.
Pegula is just the second top 10 player to lose this week and Danilovic has sealed a third top 10 win in the process. As ever though, it is also the curse of playing the week before.
While Madison Keys is through to face Danielle Collins, it is in fact Pegula who is the one to suffer an early defeat after starring the week before losing to Keys in the Adelaide final.
Danilovic with Djokovic watching on fired 28 winners and saved all six break points she faced to reach the second week. She has also perhaps seen this run coming. She has grinded over the past year to reach this point. She closed 2024 by winning an ITF 1000 and then her first WTA Tour title in Guangzhou back-to-back.
Maya Joint who lost easily to Pegula but reached the latter stages in Hobart was the victor in that tournament against Danilovic to be the only blot on her copy book. But she bounced back when it mattered most at the Australian Open. Next up also presents an opportunity for Paula Badosa. It won't be Pegula now, it will be Danilovic with Coco Gauff likely in the Quarter-Finals for the victor.
23yo Olga Danilovic is into the last 16 at the #AusOpen for the first time, after beating world #7 Jessica Pegula 7-6(3), 6-1.
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) January 17, 2025
What a performance under the lights. What a night for SRB.
2nd career Slam second week after RG 2024.
Pegula just the 2nd WTA top 10 to lose this week pic.twitter.com/beKTmzpGGx
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