Tennis: Unseeded American Pegula stuns fifth seed Svitolina to make Australian Open quarters
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Jessica Pegula in action during her match against Ukraine's Elina Svitolina at the Australian Open on Feb 15, 2021.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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MELBOURNE (AFP) - American Jessica Pegula beat a top-10 player for the first time in her career on Monday (Feb 15), shocking fifth seed Elina Svitolina at the Australian Open to make her first Grand Slam quarter-final.
The unseeded 26-year-old has been in scintillating form at Melbourne Park and overwhelmed the Ukrainian 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 to set up a last-eight clash with either fellow American Jennifer Brady or Croat Donna Vekic.
"I really admire how she is on the court, she just puts her head down and goes about her business and really always fights, so that's something I tried to do today," Pegula said of Svitolina.
"I think with the nerves and the end of the first set being tough, I got a little tired. But I feel good now."
Ranked just 61 and playing only her second Australian Open, Pegula took out former world No. 1 and 12th seed Victoria Azarenka in the opening round, then dropped just four games in her next two matches.
Svitolina had won in straight sets when the pair met at Abu Dhabi last month but it was Pegula who took the initiative on Monday, creating three break points that were saved before a double fault on the fourth handed her a 4-3 lead.
She held serve to consolidate her advantage and take the set after some punishing baselines battles.
They traded breaks early in the second set before Svitolina held then broke again for 3-1 as Pegula temporarily lost focus.
But Pegula, who missed most of 2017 with a hip injury that forced her to consider retirement, bounced back in the decider and secured a crucial break in the fourth game with a backhand volley winner.
A double fault allowed Svitolina back, but Pegula broke again for 5-3 and served out for her biggest win.
It was a disappointing end to a Major again for Svitolina, who has fallen to players ranked outside the top 25 in the past three Grand Slams.
In the men's draw, fourth seed Daniil Medvedev extended his win streak to 18 matches when he took just 89 minutes to blow away Mackenzie McDonald 6-4, 6-2, 6-3 and reach the quarter-finals.
The world No. 192 from the United States broke the Russian's serve at 5-2 down in the first set but that was his only highlight.
"It was a great match," said Medvedev. "I was feeling great, I mean the only time I lost serve was in the first set."
He is into his first quarter-final at the Australian Open where he will play either countryman and ATP Cup-winning team-mate Andrey Rublev or Norway's Casper Rudd who play later on Monday.
"I'm going to be rooting for Andrey because if he wins it's got to be at least one Russian in the semi-final," said Medvedev. "Casper is a great opponent so I'm going to watch the match, enjoy it, and then prepare for my next opponent."
Medvedev's best Grand Slam performance to date was reaching the final at the 2019 US Open.
His win streak dates back to November and included titles at the Paris 1000, the ATP Finals in London and the ATP Cup.
In the men's draw, fourth seed Daniil Medvedev extended his win streak to 18 matches when he took just 89 minutes to blow away Mackenzie McDonald 6-4, 6-2, 6-3 and reach the quarter-finals.
The world No. 192 from the United States broke the Russian's serve at 5-2 down in the first set but that was his only highlight.
"It was a great match," said Medvedev. "I was feeling great, I mean the only time I lost serve was in the first set."
He is into his first quarter-final at the Australian Open where he will play either countryman and ATP Cup-winning team-mate Andrey Rublev or Norway's Casper Rudd who play later on Monday.
"I'm going to be rooting for Andrey because if he wins it's got to be at least one Russian in the semi-final," said Medvedev. "Casper is a great opponent so I'm going to watch the match, enjoy it, and then prepare for my next opponent."
Medvedev's best Grand Slam performance to date was reaching the final at the 2019 US Open.
His win streak dates back to November and included titles at the Paris 1000, the ATP Finals in London and the ATP Cup.
