A 12 months after successful her first Grand Slam title in Melbourne, Madison Keys noticed her bid for a repeat finish on Monday by the hands of one other American trying to observe in Keys’ footsteps on the Australian Open.
Sixth-seeded Jessica Pegula swept the ninth-seeded Keys 6-3, 6-4 in a battle of greatest pals, advancing to the quarterfinals for the fourth time in six years.
Up subsequent for Pegula is one other high-seeded American after No. 4 Amanda Anisimova defeated Xinyu Wang of China 7-6 (4), 6-4.
Pegula jumped Keys early, breaking serve the primary likelihood she received en path to a 3-0 lead. Keys received the service recreation again on her third break level within the seventh recreation to make it 4-3 however promptly misplaced her serve once more.
The development continued as Pegula broke Keys to open the second set then broke her once more to go up 4-1 and cruise to the straight-sets win. Pegula, 31, received 10 extra service factors than Keys, regardless of the latter posting 4 aces to Pegula’s two. However the massive offender for Keys’ service struggles was double faulting, which she did six occasions to simply as soon as for Pegula.
Keys additionally dedicated 28 unforced errors, greater than double Pegula’s 13.
“I have been taking part in rather well, seeing the ball rather well, hitting the ball rather well this entire match, and I wished to remain true to that and lean on a few issues that I felt like she would do,” Pegula mentioned. “I felt like I got here out doing it fairly properly and received a few fast factors for her early on. After I had that lead, I attempted to stay with that lead as a lot as I may.”
Pegula has by no means made it previous the quarterfinals in Australia. The truth is, she has made it previous the quarters of any main solely as soon as, in her 2024 run to the ultimate of the U.S. Open, which she misplaced to Aryna Sabalenka.
In accordance with the WTA Tour, Pegula has received 28 of her final 31 matches in opposition to different Individuals.
Seeking to full her profession Grand Slam, No. 2 seed Iga Swiatek of Poland eased to a 6-0, 6-3 win in 73 minutes in opposition to Aussie qualifier Maddison Inglis.
Swiatek will tackle No. 5 seed Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan following a 6-1, 6-3 defeat of Belgium’s Elise Mertens.
Swiatek is 6-5 all-time in opposition to Rybakina, who received their solely earlier conflict in Melbourne 6-4, 6-4 within the fourth spherical in 2023.
“I would not say head-to-head issues,” Swiatek mentioned. “As a result of even when one in every of us was successful, it was at all times, I do not know, a decent match or she beat me simple. Would not matter. Would not make sense to overanalyze who received the final ones or the way it has been wanting.
“Each match is a unique story. Like on each match she’s been a tricky opponent, and her tennis for certain is nice. I should be 100% prepared and go for it and use my expertise and in addition the data from earlier matches, and that is it.”
–Discipline Stage Media
