MONTREAL — Two-time defending champion Jessica Pegula was eradicated within the third spherical of the Nationwide Financial institution Open after a 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 loss to Anastasija Sevastova on Friday.
Sevastova, a 35-year-old from Latvia who was ranked eleventh in 2018 however has fallen to No. 386, broke the third-seeded Pegula six instances on 10 possibilities.
“By some means, I used to be down 2-0 within the second set and began to play higher and higher,” Sevastova mentioned. “Third set, I performed actually good. Simply attempting to remain on the courtroom so long as doable.”
Within the night time session, Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek of Poland routed Eva Lys of Germany 6-2, 6-2. The second-seeded Swiatek superior to face Sixteenth-seeded Clara Tauson of Denmark, a 6-3, 6-0 winner over Ukraine’s Yuliia Starodubtseva.
Sevastova has performed 24 WTA Tour-level matches in 4 years. She acquired a spot in the principle draw with a protected rating due to a knee harm. In March 2024, in her fourth event again from maternity go away, she tore an ACL on the ATX Open
“It is powerful, however I feel I am a fighter, additionally on courtroom,” Sevastova mentioned. “I did not need to surrender. This was actually about coming again and displaying that you are able to do it after a torn ACL, after such a setback. It was like unfinished enterprise.”
Sevastova is the lowest-ranked participant to beat a top-10 participant since Angelique Kerber edged Jelena Ostapenko final 12 months at Indian Wells.
The loss continued a poor run for the fourth-ranked Pegula, who gained her opener in Montreal over Maria Sakkari of Greece, however exited Wimbledon and the D.C. Open after one match in July.
“It hasn’t been nice, to be trustworthy,” Pegula mentioned. “I do not actually really feel like I am enjoying nice tennis. At instances I’m, however I really feel very up and down, form of sloppy, which I do not like. It actually bothers me.”
Sevastova will tackle Naomi Osaka, who moved to the fourth spherical with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Twenty second-seeded Ostapenko.
Osaka, a former No. 1-ranked participant from Japan, hit 5 aces and transformed six of 9 break level alternatives to win the match in 1 hour, 12 minutes.
“She broke me a pair instances, however she’s a very good returner, so I can not take that personally,” Osaka mentioned. “I went in there realizing she’s an amazing participant, and if I give her an opportunity, she’s going to hit a winner on me, so I simply tried to maintain my tempo and keep as stable as I may.”
Sixth-seeded Madison Keys beat fellow American Caty McNally 2-6, 6-3, 6-3.
“At present I did an excellent job of bouncing again after the primary set,” Keys mentioned. “Let go of the primary set and transfer on. Blissful I used to be in a position to do this.”