By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, March 12, 2023
Doubles partners Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff shined in singles succession to reach the Indian Wells round of 16 today.
Photo credit: Robert Prange/Getty
The Sunshine Double gives American tennis time to rise and shine.
Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff are leaving opponents feeling the burn.
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A day after the Americans joined forces for an Indian Wells doubles triumph, they lit up adjacent stadiums with successive singles wins riding wildly different paths into the BNP Paribas Open round of 16.
No. 3-seeded Pegula showed spirit and a knack for the timely strike fighting off Anastasia Potapova 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 in a punishing and satisfying three hour, 17-minute victory on stadium 2.
On stadium 1, Gauff let her serve do the singing.
In a clash of 18-year-old talents, Gauff slashed seven aces, won 31 of 35 first-serve points and did not drop serve dismissing Linda Noskova 6-4, 6-3 in 77 minutes.
It was a personal milestone for Gauff—her last match as an 18 year-old—and she celebrated banging a barrage of serves off the back wall.
The sixth-seeded Gauff wasted little time in her serve games racking up her 28th straight win against opponents ranked outside of the Top 50.
"Definitely my serve today [was key]," Gauff, who celebrates her 19th birthday on Monday, told Andrew Krasny afterward. "I served really well, which I'm really happy because my first round it wasn't my best serving and then doubles yesterday I was giving Jess a hard time because I wasn't making any first serves.
"So I'm glad that I could transfer it today and I'm glad I had a doubles match to fix that. "
Both Pegula and Gauff credited their doubles win yesterday with prevailing on the singles court today. Pegula cited the added repetitions she gained on serve and return as helpful, while Gauff worked out the kinks of her serve on the doubles court and served with command today.
Playing from behind much of the match, Pegula saved nine of 13 break points and refused to wilt under third-set pressure. Pegula won a higher percentage of second serve points than first serve points and withstood a barrage of heavy forehands from Potapova, who went up 3-1 in the final set.
The 28th-seeded Potapova was three games from her third career Top 5-victory, but Pegula dug in with defiance and turned it around.
Deadlocked at 30-all, Pegula struck shots with confidence cranking an ace to hold for 2-3.
The physical strain and mounting pressure conspired to plague Potapova, who spit up successive double faults to cede back the break leveling the decider at 3-all.
Permitting just three points in her final three service games, Pegula went up 6-5.
Potapova, who has risen more than 100 spots in the rankings over the past year, took this fight to the limit. Ultimately, an unrelenting Pegula's willingness to attack in the final games and scrape out some tricky drives, as well as Potapova's nine double faults helped the American cross the finish line with the final game break.
The pair shared a heart-felt hug at net in a show of mutual respect for a big battle.
"I think I started playing a little bit smarter getting a little bit more depth on my shots," Pegula told Tennis Channel's Prakash Amritraj afterward. "Everything got a little bit better, but she came out playing really well and I was pretty frustrated.
"She's a great player. I beat her easily last time I played her, but I remember first time I played her I had match points, saved match point came back and won so I knew she's been playing great. She just won a WTA as well in Lyon so I just told her congrats and it was just a respectable battle today."
Raising her 2023 record to 15-4, including a 5-1 mark in three-setters, Pegula stands one win from her seventh WTA 1000 quarterfinal in her last eight appearances, but she'll need to beat a Grand Slam champion to do it.
The problem-solving Pegula will face two-time Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova next.
The 15th-seeded Kvitova hit six aces and 11 double faults in a wild 0-6, 6-0, 6-4 win over 2017 Roland Garros champion Jelena Ostapenko.
Both Pegula and Gauff credited their doubles win yesterday with prevailing on the singles court today. Pegula cited the added repetitions she gained on serve and return as helpful, while Gauff worked out the kinks of her serve on the doubles court and served with command today.
Bursting out of the blocks quickly, Gauff shoveled back a drop shot then jumped on a floater flashing a backhand drive volley winner reminiscent of the young Monica Seles. When Noskova put a backhand into net, Gauff had a break point and converted it for a 2-1 lead in the opener.
The Czech saved a break point to hold in the fifth game and remain within touching distance.
When she sets her feet and gets behind the ball, Noskova can club the ball off both wings with bite. The Czech cranked a forehand winner for break point in the eighth game. Gauff blasted a her fifth ace to erase it then banged a sixth ace for game point. Gauff held strong stretching her lead to 5-3.
Showing an athletic burst, Gauff threw down three smashes in a row holding from love-15 down to snatch a one-set lead after 40 minutes.
While Noskova hit some sharp crosscourt forehand angles, she was missing a bit more off that wing in her second service game of the second set. Gauff saw it and wisely directed traffic to that wing.
Playing higher loopier topspin to move Noskova back, Gauff stepped in to lash a deep forehand drive down the middle drawing the error to break for a 2-1 second-set lead.
The Gauff first serve was popping preventing Noskova from stepping in and attacking the American. Gauff scored her third break of the day to cap a strong 77 minute win with a pre-birthday confession.
"It's really special," Gauff told the crowd afterward. "I know some of you guys know my birthday is tomorrow so it really is the greatest gift to be out here and playing.
"I always get emotional on my birthday just thinking about it. I'm just really happy to be here so thank you guys."
A year ago, Gauff lost to Simona Halep in her Indian Wells opener. Now, Gauff is through to the round of 16 for the first time in Tennis Paradise and will try to keep rolling against Rebecca Peterson next.
Peterson defeated Swiss Jil Teichmann 3-6, 6-3, 6-1, her second three-set win of the tournament.