Mathieu Warnier, Media365, published on Tuesday August 27, 2024 at 6:25 p.m.
Having defeated Saisai Zheng in her first match in the main draw of the US Open, Jessika Ponchet has unlocked her record of matches won in a Grand Slam tournament.
This time, it’s the right one for Jessika Ponchet! After failing six times in the first round of a Grand Slam tournament, including four on the clay of Roland-Garros, it was at the US Open that the Bayonne native signed her first victory in the main draw of a Major. Coming from the qualifications, the world number 143 made no bones about it against Saisai Zheng for her first match at Flushing Meadows. A match that Jessika Ponchet started off strong because, after winning her first serve with a white, she converted her first break point to take the lead. However, the Chinese player was able to react to erase this service game deficit. Except that, in the process, the player who is ranked 1294th in the WTA rankings was unable to repel the attacks of the Basque, who was able to take the lead again. When it came time to serve for the win of the set, Jessika Ponchet faltered and let her opponent regain some momentum. A single opportunity to break was enough for Saisai Zheng.
Ponchet has everything under control
After this dip in form, the French player found all her momentum and it was on a white break that she was able to win this first set completed in 42 minutes. The second started on the same basis as the previous one, that is to say with a first service game won by Jessika Ponchet then the break for the French player. The scenario then changed because Saisai Zheng was not able to reverse the trend. Indeed, the Chinese player did not get a single break point in a second set controlled with a firm hand by the native of Bayonne. As soon as the opportunity presented itself, Jessika Ponchet took her opponent’s serve a second time, giving herself the opportunity to conclude on her own serve. Ignoring a certain nervousness in the face of such a moment, the world number 143 only needed a match point to achieve her goal (6-4, 6-1 in 1h07′). Thanks to this first Grand Slam success, Jessika Ponchet reaches the second round of the US Open with the number 4 seed Elena Rybakina or the qualifier Destanee Alava who will be in her path.
