Jessica Pegula, the No. 3 seed, secured a third-round comeback victory against Leylah Fernandez at the US Open. The match, which lasted 2 hours and 11 minutes, saw Pegula defeat the No. 31 seed with a score of 1-6, 6-4, 6-3. This win keeps Pegula in contention for the World No. 1 ranking, though she would need to win her first Grand Slam title during this tournament to achieve that.
Pegula, a 2024 US Open runner-up, faced 2021 runner-up Fernandez in a contest between former finalists. This marks Pegula’s fifth consecutive year advancing to the second week of her home major, and her 13th time at all Grand Slams. Her overall record against Fernandez now stands at 4-1, including 2-0 in 2026. Their previous encounter in March at Miami saw Pegula win 6-2, 6-2, a match that was less complicated than their recent Flushing Meadows meeting.
Match Progression and Turning Points
Pegula described her initial performance as a “lazy” start, stating she did not feel comfortable and struggled to find her rhythm in the first set. She noted that Fernandez’s play style seemed different from previous matches. During the first set, Pegula landed only 31% of her first serves and won just two points on Fernandez’s second serve, accumulating 11 unforced errors against three winners.
Fernandez, on the other hand, played a tactically sound first set, redirecting groundstrokes effectively and approaching the net at opportune moments. She executed this aggressive strategy with only four unforced errors and did not face a single break point.
The turning point occurred at 2-2 in the second set when Fernandez had a chance to go up a set and a break. However, she netted a forehand, squandering the opportunity, and then hit a volley directly to Pegula on the subsequent point. Pegula capitalized on this, securing the hold and shifting the momentum. Fernandez then dropped her serve for the first time in the next game due to a series of errors and failed to convert four subsequent break points as Pegula took a 5-2 lead.
The end of the second set featured high-quality play from both athletes. Fernandez managed to narrow Pegula’s lead to 5-4, but Pegula’s backhand down the line proved decisive, allowing her to break for the set in the final game.
The deciding third set mirrored the second, with Fernandez creating the first break point chances at 1-1 but failing to convert. Pegula secured the decisive break in the following game as Fernandez committed more errors. By this point, Pegula’s serve had improved, with her first serve percentage reaching 58%. She conceded only nine points on her serve throughout the third set, and her ratio of 10 winners to five unforced errors demonstrated her improved form, while Fernandez made 11 unforced errors in the decider.
Looking Ahead for Pegula
In the fourth round, Pegula is set to face No. 16 seed Sorana Cirstea. This will be their fifth encounter, with their rivalry dating back to 2011. Pegula currently holds a 3-1 head-to-head advantage over Cirstea, who has not won against Pegula since their first meeting in 2011. Their most recent match, two weeks prior in the fourth round of Cincinnati, was a close contest where Pegula ultimately won 6-2, 4-6, 7-5.
Cirstea, a 36-year-old Romanian, has achieved career-best results in 2026, a season she announced would be her last on the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz. She advanced to the second week of the US Open for the second time, having been a quarterfinalist in 2023, and for the seventh time overall at a major. Cirstea also reached the quarterfinals at Roland Garros this year, marking the first time in her career she has made the second week of multiple Grand Slams in a single season.
Pegula’s support team, often seen in her player box, includes her primary coaches Mark Knowles and Mark Merklein, hitting partner Daniel, fitness trainer John, and physiotherapist Seba. Her husband, Taylor Gahagen, and sister Kelly Pegula are also frequently present. Her family’s ownership of the NFL’s Buffalo Bills and NHL’s Buffalo Sabres often draws broadcast attention to her player box.
Source: wtatennis.com
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