Jessica Pegula is back in the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam tournament, which used to be her roadblock.
The way Pegula is playing at this U.S. Open, it may be just another stop on the way back to the final.
Pegula advanced to the quarterfinals by defeating fellow American Ann Li 6-1, 6-2, in just 54 minutes on Sunday. The No. 4 seed has not lost a set at Flushing Meadows this year, and has only once played longer than an hour and 15 minutes in a match.
After the match, Pegula said staying sharp through the early rounds is what she aimed for.
“Entering a Slam means a lot of matches, but as you work through and reach the second week, winning to make it to the quarters is definitely a confidence booster,” Pegula shared with NBC News. “Of course, there’s still a long journey ahead, so I intend to enjoy today a bit before focusing on the next match.”
Pegula will face either two-time Grand Slam champion Barbora Krejcikova or another American, Taylor Townsend, on Tuesday.
Pegula was previously 0-6 in Grand Slam quarterfinals until she upset Iga Swiatek in that round last year. She progressed to the final, where she lost to Aryna Sabalenka.
Li, ranked 58th, was the highest-ranked opponent Pegula had faced in the tournament, but the 25-year-old was overpowered in her first major round of 16 appearance. Pegula broke her serve in all four of Li’s service games in the first set, which lasted 25 minutes, with Li managing just five winners against 19 unforced errors throughout the match.
Pegula said she takes pride in being part of a strong American women’s contingent at this year’s U.S. Open.
“We’ve had significant depth for several years now with many talented American players,” Pegula commented. “We’re witnessing even more as they continue to improve, particularly the younger girls. It’s been enjoyable to be a part of it.”
Pegula has embraced the experience of being a role model.
“That’s truly one of the best aspects,” Pegula mentioned. “When young girls or boys come up and say, ‘I want to be like you when I grow up,’ it reminds me of how I felt when I was younger.”
U.S. Tennis Association President Brian Vahaly said the dominance of American women at this year’s Open is helping to further interest in tennis.
“The American women are absolutely crushing it,” he told NBC News, noting that players like Pegula are advancing to later stages. “We care about that a lot, because American champions help drive interest in our sport. So the American women are certainly leading the way.”
