Jessica Pegula defeated her doubles partner Coco Gauff 6-2 5-7 7-5 in the quarterfinals of the Omnium Banque Nationale, ending a four-match losing streak against Top 10 players.
Match recap
In the first all-American quarterfinal at the tournament since 2001, Pegula managed to secure two breaks against her 19-year-old opponent while clinching the opening set. The sixth-seeded Gauff then narrowly secured the second set to even the score. Gauff’s game was hindered by a total of nine double faults, and it was at 5-5 in the third set that the fourth-seeded Pegula gained the crucial break, eventually sealing the victory by holding her serve for the rest of the match. The 29-year-old admits that it is always tough to play your doubles partner.
The top-seeded doubles team withdraws from Montreal
After the exhausting singles encounter, Pegula and Gauff withdrew from doubles ahead of their quarterfinal against Ena Shibahara and Shuko Aoyama at the Omnium Banque Nationale.
Since the start of 2010 season, Pegula is the fifth player to be ranked in the Top 3 in singles and doubles in the same week, joining Barbora Krejcikova, Aryna Sabalenka, Serena Williams and Venus Williams.
Jessica Pegula’s hilarious autograph mishap: Mistaken for Coco Gauff by fan
One time I signed and the woman thought I was you…that one got me lol
— Jessie Pegula (@JPegula) August 9, 2023
On a funny note, do you know that once a fan thought that Pegula was Gauff? Responding to a question on X, Gauff wrote: “I sign autographs as myself but occasionally I am somehow also signing as Sloane, Venus, Serena, Taylor, Alycia, and yesterday I got Leylah for the first time lollll.” After coming across Gauff’s story, Pegula chimed in with her own anecdote: “One time I signed and the woman thought I was you… that one got me lol.”
Next opponent: Iga Swiatek
In Saturday’s semifinals of the WTA 1000 tournament, Pegula will face world No.1 Iga Swiatek, the only player who has played more quarterfinals in 2023 than her (11 to 10). Swiatek won her 50th match of the season by battling past Danielle Collins 6-3 4-6 6-2 and advanced to the final four in Montreal.
