This year’s US Open finalist Jessica Pegula beat Veronika Kudemertova 6-7 (9-11) 6-1 6-2 in a third-round match of the China Open in Beijing to earn the first win in her third head-to-head match against her Russian rival.
Pegula had lost her previous two head-to-head matches earlier this year against Kudemertova in the quarter final of the Madrid Mutua Open and the final of the Japan Open in Tokyo.
Pegula held two set points at 5-3 lead, but Pegula won three consecutive games and earned her chance to serve for the first set at 6-5. Kudemertova fired a passing winner to break for 6-6 setting up a tie-break. Pegula earned two set points in the tie-break, but Kudemertova sealed the first set on her fifth set point with an unreturned first serve.
Pegula cruised through to win the second set with two breaks of serve 6-2 in the fourth and sixth games. The US player hit 11 winners to 6 unforced errors.
Pegula broke serve in the third game with a forehand to take a 2-1 lead. She broke for the second time in the seventh game and closed out the win with her fifth ace on her third match point.
Pegula has achieved her 38th win from 50 matches this year.
“Every time I have player her, it’s always been very tough. After I came back from 2-5 in the first set, I knew what to do, I just had to execute in the next couple of sets. I am happy that I was able to figure that out and finally help my head-to-head against her”,said Pegula.
