On Monday, Madison Keys defeated Jessica Pegula in two sets to secure a place in the quarterfinals of the US Open.
Keys won 6-1 6-3 against world No. 3 Pegula and reach her second straight grand slam quarterfinal – she reached the same stage at Wimbledon earlier in the year.
Pegula was considered a top contender for the tournament due to her strong performance leading up to it. However, she was unable to gain momentum against her fellow countrywoman.
In the upcoming round, World No. 17 Keys will go up against current Wimbledon title holder Markéta Vondroušová.
After winning the game, Keys mentioned in her on-court interview that the US Open serves as her constant inspiration to give her best performance.
According to Keys, she has had numerous incredible experiences in New York. She finds it remarkable to be able to bounce back from challenging situations during matches, all while performing in front of enthusiastic crowds.
Defeating the favored home team
Pegula, hailing from Buffalo, New York, and the daughter of the owners of the NFL team, the Buffalo Bills, was the favored hometown player against Florida resident Keys.
Despite the support of the majority of attendees at the Arthur Ashe Stadium, Pegula appeared unsettled while playing against Keys.
The 28-year-old Keys dominated the first set, only dropping one game and quickly taking the lead in their fourth-round match. This allowed her to establish her dominance in the game.
Pegula displayed some signs of a potential comeback in the second set, but unfortunately it was not enough and Keys managed to break her serve once again, taking control of the match.
Pegula’s consistent unforced errors prevented her from making a comeback, leading to Keys’ victory in just 61 minutes.
Keys, a US Open finalist in 2017, has reached the quarterfinals of back-to-back majors for the first time since the Australian Open and Roland Garros in 2018.
This is her initial victory against a top five seed at a major tournament since defeating Barbora Krejčíková in the quarterfinals of the 2022 Australian Open.
Source: cnn.com
