Jessica Pegula, the No.1 seed, continues to make waves in the tennis world with another commanding performance on her journey to the semifinals in Austin. Pegula managed an impressive victory over Anna Blinkova, the world No.74, with a straight set win of 6-2, 6-2.
In the opening set, despite losing her serve once, Pegula’s prowess shone through as she broke Blinkova’s serve thrice, effortlessly clinching the set. Carrying forward the momentum into the second set, Pegula quickly built a commanding 5-1 lead. Although she missed two match points in the seventh game, she displayed unwavering composure to close the match on her serve in the subsequent game.
Pegula’s dominance was evident in the previous round as well, where she conceded only four games while defeating Nuria Parrizas Diaz with a scoreline of 6-1, 6-3. This victory has set the stage for a thrilling encounter against Ajla Tomljanovic for a spot in the Austin final.
Pegula’s journey to the Austin final has been marked by a peculiar turn of events. The tournament organizers found themselves in an unconventional situation when Madison Keys, following her Australian Open win, made her way back into the top-10. The WTA rules permit only a single top-10 player to participate in a WTA 250 tournament.
Pegula, being the initial top-10 player on the list, was chosen to compete. However, Keys had shown keen interest in playing, contingent upon Pegula’s decision to participate. “Keys was eager to come play here. She kept inquiring if I planned on participating, and if I didn’t, she was ready to step in,” Pegula elaborated earlier this week.
Pegula added, “She still had a desire to come here, but I believe it largely depends on the player. Considering the number of 500 tournaments we have, many have been elevated in status, aiming to make the tournaments larger, with increased points and prize money.”
As Pegula inches closer to her first title of 2025, the upcoming match against Tomljanovic promises to be an enthralling encounter, adding another chapter to her already remarkable journey.
