Jessica Pegula is through to her first ever grand slam quarter-final at the Australian Open after beating the world number 5 Elina Svitolina in a tough three set battle 6-3, 3-6, 6-4. The American hit 31 winners in the match while Svitolina hit 40 unforced errors.
A quick start for the American
Both players did a good job holding serve to open the match and at 2-2 it was the American earning the first break points of the match but the world number 5 did a good job saving them with her forehand to hold serve.
The Buffalo native had two more breakpoints at at 3-3 and would break as Svitolina would serve an untimely double fault for the first break of serve of the match.
She would serve out the first set to take it 6-4 and was one set away from pulling off another stunning upset.
Svitolina comes back
The American kept the momentum going into the beginning of the second set and had another early chances to break and at the second time of asking Pegula would break with a great pointing finishing with an amazing volley winner at the net to take an early 1-0 lead.
The Ukrainian responded right away in the next game earning a breakpoint and the break didn’t last long as she broke winning an amazing rally to go back on serve at 1-1.
After holding serve the world number 5 went on the offensive and earned more breakpoints off another unforced error and would go on to break to take a 3-1 lead.
The world number 5 had chances to increase her lead when Pegula served a double fault to give her three breakpoints. She would save all three playing some outstanding tennis.
She would serve out the set to take it 6-3 and force a third and deciding set against the American.
Pegula takes the decider
Both players held serve for the first three games of the final set and at 2-1 the American had two chances to break and would break to take a 3-1 lead as she played an aggressive point finishing the point at the net with another solid volley winner.
At 4-2 the world number 5 had two more breakpoints and would ultimately break when the Buffalo native served a double fault to go back on serve. Pegula went back to work and responded immediately as she earned four more breakpoints on the Ukrainian serve and it took until the fourth that she was able to convert as Svitolina forehand went long to grab once again a 5-3 lead and serve for the match.
She would serve out the match in style as her serve was much too powerful in the final game of the match to seal her first win vs a top 10 opponent and a spot in the top 50 players in the world.
“I can’t get more confident – it is my best result yet,” Pegula said afterwards during her press conference.
“I was a little tentative in the beginning of the second, and was able to play a couple of good games at the end of the second to get the momentum into the third. I definitely felt like I was sliding off the rails a little bit.”
In the quarter-finals she will either play another American in Jennifer Brady or the Croatian Donna Vekic.
