Pegula Holds Off Azarenka Fightback To Win

US Open 2025

Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York Dates: 24 August-7 September

Coverage: Live power commentaries crossed 5 Live Sport and BBC Sounds, positive unrecorded matter commentaries connected nan BBC Sport website & app

American Jessica Pegula had to excavation heavy to hit Victoria Azarenka successful nan US Open 3rd information and support live her hopes of winning a career-first Grand Slam connected location soil.

In a 6-1 7-5 victory, 2024 finalist Pegula cruised done nan first group earlier erstwhile world number 1 Azarenka fought backmost valiantly contempt struggling pinch a limb injury.

Meanwhile, Italian seventh seed Jasmine Paolini suffered a astonishment 7-6 (7-4) 6-1 conclusion by world number 60 Marketa Vondrousova.

Paolini was beaten successful nan finals of nan French Open and Wimbledon past year, but has grounded to advancement beyond nan 4th information astatine immoderate Slam this year.

Pegula, who suffered a heartbreaking conclusion by Aryna Sabalenka successful past year's New York final, will look either her compatriot Ann Li aliases Australia's world number 126 Priscilla Hon successful nan 4th round.

"I conscionable tried to attraction connected going backmost to my strategy, things that went good successful nan first set," said nan 31-year-old erstwhile asked really she arrested her second-set slide.

"I thought I moved and scrambled really well, I wanted to make nan lucifer physical.

"My results haven't been excessively astonishing nan past mates of months, truthful to beryllium capable to move it astir was awesome."

The 4th seed produced 3 aces and 10 winners successful an opening group successful which Azarenka committed 4 double faults and won conscionable 36% of her first serves.

Yet nan 36-year-old two-time Grand Slam victor looked her aged aforesaid successful nan 2nd set, arsenic she collapsed service and past saved a break constituent to solidify her lead.

However, 3 consecutive breaks followed arsenic mistakes crept into some players' games.

Azarenka saved 3 break points earlier Pegula converted nan fourth, earlier nan American made 2 glaring forehand misses aft double-faulting to manus power backmost to nan Belarusian.

The pendulum swung backmost successful Pegula's favour 1 last clip arsenic she collapsed successful nan last crippled to declare a spot successful nan past 16.

"Obviously she picked up her level successful nan 2nd group and I conscionable thought she started serving really well, she had a bunch of aces to get herself retired of those return games, and she's ever a awesome returner which puts nan unit connected your first serves," Pegula said of Azarenka.

"We train together a batch successful Florida, truthful we cognize each other's crippled really well. I could show she was struggling a spot physically, truthful I wanted to support her moving and play aggressive."