MATCH REPORT | 2024 China Open: Prolific Pegula continues fantastic form before rain hits in Beijing
WTA
Coming from a set down, Jessica Pegula continues to shine as she saw off Veronika Kudermetova at the China Open. She is into a Last 16 meeting with Paula Badosa in Beijing.
Pegula lost the first set in a tie-break. But as ever her matches seem to ebb and flow and she came back to win the second fairly easily. The first had seen her rally back from being 5-2 down to lead 6-5 suddenly and look to be in the ascendancy towards the finishing line to go 1-0 up herself. But as ever the tie-break is a lottery. She had set points herself multiple times but it went back and forth before Kudermetova finally cracked the resolve of Pegula.
But it fired her up even more as she surged into a 3-1 lead breaking Kudermetova after staving off break points herself in the previous game and she was untroubled from then in the set. She went 5-1 up as Kudermetova only won two more points in the remaining three games.
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The final set too was a pretty simple equation. She broke for 2-1 and Kudermetova could only have one break point on Pegula's serve which was saved and in the battle of oneupmanship, she then broke next game before sealing the win. A vital one too.
It was a first win over Kudermetova in three attempts notching a 6-7, 6-1, 6-2 win after nearly three hours. She had lost twice prior to the Russian who won the Tokyo final against her. But third time was the charm. It is also the 17th win from her last 19. Only losing to Aryna Sabalenka in Cincinnati and the US Open. A player firmly on form and relishing the chance to continue that.
Rain fell shortly after Pegula won though as Peyton Stearns contest with Anna Kalinskaya is delayed with the latter likely feeling aggrieved. She has fought back to a 3-2 lead after losing the first set to the American. Katie Volynets v Naomi Osaka and Coco Gauff v Katie Boulter is also to come.
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