Iga Swiatek stunned as Jessica Pegula lands huge win over out-of-sorts world No. 1 to reach Canadian Open final
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Published 12/08/2023 at 20:21 GMT
Jessica Pegula beat an out-of-sorts Iga Swiatek in three sets to reach the final of the Canadian Open in Montreal, where she will face either Elena Rybakina or Liudmila Samsonova. Swiatek, the world No. 1, put on an error-strewn display in Montreal, losing her serve repeatedly as she was eventually defeated 6-2 6-7(4) 6-4 by her American opponent, who came back from 4-2 down in the decider.
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Jessica Pegula recovered from a break down in the final set to beat Iga Swiatek 6-2 6-7(4) 6-4 and clinch a spot in the final of the Canadian Open in Montreal.
It was a contest that swung back and forth for almost the entirety and featured a whopping 18 breaks of serve before the No. 4 seeded American eventually prevailed over the world No. 1, who racked up 35 unforced errors.
But that will be of little concern for Pegula, who was understandably delighted to come through in the decider.
"It feels great, no better way to earn it," Pegula said in her on-court interview. "That was a tough match, a great match like always.
"I felt like I was in control but as the No. 1 in the world does, she played some really great tennis at the end of the second set and in the third, so she made me earn it."
The match started with five consecutive breaks before Pegula eventually held to take a 4-2 lead in what was to become the theme of the encounter. The American then forged another break point in the seventh game and took it to serve for the first set at 5-2 when Swiatek sent a wild forehand wide.
Pegula made no mistake, holding serve in double-quick time to take the early advantage against the world No. 1 after 38 minutes.
Into the second and after a lengthy bathroom break, Swiatek finally held serve for the first time in the match before going on the attack and breaking her opponent to love to establish an early foothold.
But the topsy-turvy nature of the contest continued as Pegula immediately broke back, lost her serve again and then gained parity at 3-3 after another lengthy service game went to deuce.
The American then hit the front with her seventh break of Swiatek’s serve, as the errors kept flowing from the world No. 1’s racquet.
Pegula had a gilt-edged chance to move within one game of victory at 4-3 but flashed a forehand well wide and allowed Swiatek to earn and convert another break point in what was turning into a scarcely believable back-and-forth.
Swiatek coughed up another two break points in the next game and Pegula clinched it on the second to serve for a straights-set victory.
Fittingly, a series of brilliant ground strokes gave Swiatek two break back points of her own and she sealed it with a superb return winner, before holding to move 6-5 ahead.
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Iga Swiatek of Poland reacts after losing a point against Jessica Pegula of the United States of America on Day 6 during the National Bank Open at Stade IGA on August 12, 2023 in Montreal, Canada.
Image credit: Getty Images
Pegula sent the second set into a tie-break with a hard-fought hold and took advantage of more Swiatek errors to move 4-2 clear, before the world No. 1 hit back with five straight points to take it to a decider.
The momentum had clearly shifted and Swiatek quickly moved ahead in the third, breaking Pegula to love and holding to lead 2-0.
That then became 4-2 before Pegula rattled off three games in a row to force Swiatek to hold to stay in the match.
The American was gifted a match point when her opponent sent a backhand well long and another error from Swiatek with the court at her mercy gave Pegula the win and a spot in the final.
The American will face either Elena Rybakina or Liudmila Samsonova, who square off in the second semi-final.
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