The Czech Barbora Krejcikova, only 13e world but qualified for the benefit of her Grand Slam title this year at Wimbledon, largely dominated the American Jessica Pegula (n°6), whom she beat 6-3, 6-3 in a little over an hour Tuesday in Riyadh at the WTA Masters.
After this second defeat in two matches, Pegula is already eliminated from the race for the semi-finals. However, it was she, opening the hostilities with a shutout, who took the upper hand at the start of the match.
But at 3-3, the balance of power is reversed. Pegula then conceded the first two break points of the set, and Krejcikova took the American’s service on the second thanks to a backhand into her opponent’s net.
A victory while waiting for Coco Gauff
Krejcikova confirms this break and obtains three set points at 5-3 on Pegula’s serve.
The second will be the good one for the Czech, who returns to the feet of Pegula whose drop shot ends in the net: 6-3, in less than half an hour.
In the second set, Pegula, committing two double faults and two unforced errors on the backhand, conceded her service for the third time in a row to be led 2-0.
The American, after losing six games in a row, then stopped the bleeding by breaking immediately, with a backhand suddenly found.
But Pegula, fearing his opponent’s returns, immediately lost his serve again by committing two new double faults.
Krejcikova, who had already taken a set from Swiatek on Sunday, confirmed this break and headed towards victory in two sets in a game which lasted only 69 minutes.
In the wake of this match, where the Czech often got the upper hand over the American with the power and depth of her shots, the Polish Iga Swiatek (world No. 2) will be opposed in the second singles of this second day of the American Orange group Coco Gauff (N.3).
To hope to recover her throne recently abandoned to Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, the Pole must win this end-of-season tournament.
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