By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Sunday, March 24, 2024
Jessica Pegula broke in five of Leylah Fernandez’s last seven service games scoring a 7-5, 6-4 comeback win at the Miami Open.
Photo credit: Miami Open/Hard Rock Stadium
Winning tennis is all about managing margins.
Jessica Pegula goes for broke with precision and continues reaping rewards.
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A sharp Pegula broke in five of Leylah Fernandez’s last seven service games scoring a 7-5, 6-4 comeback win at the Miami Open.
“I’ve never played her and it is very tricky,” Pegula told Tennis Channel’s Prakash Amritraj afterward. “The lefty serve, she was moving it around and hitting her spots really well today.
"She’s quick, she wants to come in and then she’ll short-hop a couple of balls.
“But then she’ll hit it kind of spinny so it’s a weird dynamic. I think once I kind of got my strategy down, which I felt like was working, I was able to execute it. But she was tricky.”
The 30-year-old Pegula, whose parents own the NFL’s Buffalo Bills, continues to make her annual mark at Hard Rock Stadium.
Coming off successive Miami Open semifinals, Pegula will face fellow American Emma Navarro for the first time with a quarterfinal spot at stake.
Earlier, red-hot Navarro scored a 6-2, 3-6, 6-0 victory over Jasmine Paolini. Hobart champion Navarro, who defeated Elina Svitolina and world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka en route to the Indian Wells quarterfinals, improved to 11-3 in three-setters this season.
"I think it will be a really good test," Pegula said. "I've practiced with her several times so I feel I have a good guage, but playing someone with that much confidence, with that much momentum is going to be a tough test for me, especially because I'm trying to get going a little bit.
"Hopefully, it will be a great match. It's nice to see two Americans, so one of us will get through. She's a super nice girl so I'm excited to play and hopefully it will be a really good match."
Staring down a 3-5 deficit today, Pegula did not press the panic button.
Playing with heavy taping wrapping her left leg, Pegula began hitting deep drives down the middle, denying Fernandez access to angles and creating mid-court opportunities for herself.
Serving at 3-4, Pegula faced a triple-break point hole with a calm spinning backhand winner to fight off the third break point.
Oppressive court positioning from Fernandez helped her draw the error then hit an inside-out return breaking for 5-3.
Serving for the set, Fernandez saved a break point with a forehand strike down the line.
That was a brief reprieve.
When the Canadian sent a backhand long, Pegula broke back in the ninth game.
From that 3-5 deficit, Pegula was striking with more precision and depth. Pegula drew a forehand error breaking again for her third game in a row and a 6-5 lead.
Pegula spun a 106 mph ace out wide for triple break point then torched her two-handed down the line snatching a one-set lead on a four-game surge.
The fifth-seeded Pegula continued driving deep shots, battering out her third consecutive break and fifth game in a row to start the second set.
The Fernandez second serve did not stand up to Pegula’s flat returns: The American won 14 of 22 points played on the Canadian’s second serve.
The 2021 US Open finalist Fernandez is at her best straddling the baseline and stepping inside the court. Fernandez carved out a fine angled backhand volley for break points. Hooking a crosscourt forehand, Fernandez cut off the angle and banged a backhand drive volley winner to level the set after six games.
An excellent doubles player, Pegula showed her own transition skills. Curling a crosscourt forehand to displace the Canadian, Pegula moved in and swatted a slick backhand drive winner holding for 5-3.
Playing through the middle of the court, Pegula drew a final netted backhand to close in one hour, 41 minutes.
Boca Raton resident Pegula improves to 8-0 lifetime vs. Canadians joining Americans Navarro and doubles partner Coco Gauff in the round of 16.