Jessica Pegula continued her impressive run at the Rogers Cup on Thursday, defeating Coco Gauff in straight sets to reach the semifinals. The 28-year-old American won 6-2, 5-7, 7-5 to set up a showdown with Aryna Sabalenka.
Pegula was the more aggressive player from the start, taking control of the baseline and dictating the terms of the match.
Gauff struggled to find her range early on, making 17 unforced errors in the first set. Pegula, meanwhile, was solid in all areas, winning 70% of her first-serve points and breaking Gauff twice.
Gauff came out more determined in the second set, but Pegula was able to weather the storm. The American broke Gauff twice more to take a 5-2 lead, and she served out the match to secure her spot in the semifinals.
Pegula is now one win away from her first career WTA final. She will face Sabalenka, who is the tournament’s top seed. Sabalenka has been in dominant form this week, winning her first four matches without dropping a set.
However, Pegula has shown that she is capable of playing at a high level, and she will be a tough opponent for the Belarusian.
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A win over Sabalenka would be a major breakthrough for Pegula. She has been a consistent performer on the WTA Tour for several years, but she has never reached a final. A win in Montreal would give her a major boost in confidence and could help her take the next step in her career.
This was Pegula’s second win over Gauff in as many meetings. The American also defeated the teenager at the Miami Open in March. Gauff has been one of the most promising young players on the WTA Tour in recent years, but she has struggled to find consistency at the highest level.
She will need to find a way to improve her consistency if she wants to challenge for the biggest titles in the game.
The semifinals in Montreal will be played on Friday. Pegula and Sabalenka will face off in the first match, with the winner facing either Ons Jabeur or Karolina Pliskova in the final.