Can Pegula Maintain Her Winning Streak Against Sakkari in Montreal?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Jessica Pegula won her 11th consecutive match.
- Pegula saved five set points in the first set.
- She converted all five of her break points.
- Amanda Anisimova delivered an impressive performance with 11 aces.
- Emma Raducanu awaits Anisimova in the third round.
Montreal, July 31 (NationPress) Two-time defending champion Jessica Pegula extended her winning streak to 11 matches at the Canadian Open, overcoming Maria Sakkari in a thrilling second-round encounter that went to two closely contested sets.
Pegula exhibited remarkable resilience in the first set, saving five set points at 5-4 before clinching the set 7-5, followed by a 6-4 victory in the second.
She successfully converted all five of her break points during the match, making her the first woman since Serena Williams to achieve 11 consecutive victories at this tournament, which Williams last accomplished between 2011 and 2014.
Next up for Pegula is a clash with veteran Anastasija Sevastova in the third round. Sevastova, a former World No. 11, previously triumphed over Pegula in Indian Wells qualifying in 2016, but Pegula secured a clay-court victory against her in Charleston in 2019.
Pegula started strong, leading 3-1, but Sakkari made a significant comeback. Despite Sakkari holding five set points at 5-4, Pegula showcased her prowess, holding serve to equalize at 5-5.
After that pivotal moment, Pegula intensified her service returns and dominated the next four games, gaining a set and break advantage. She reached a 4-1 lead in the second set, but Sakkari fought back to 4-3 before Pegula had to fend off a final break point in the last game to secure her win.
Another American in the Top 5, Amanda Anisimova, also progressed in the second round, defeating Lulu Sun 6-4, 7-6(5) in the evening session.
Returning to action after finishing as a runner-up to Iga Swiatek at Wimbledon, Anisimova delivered an impressive performance with 11 aces, advancing to the third round for the second consecutive year.
She will face Emma Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, in what promises to be an exciting matchup.
Earlier in the day, Naimi Osaka staged a remarkable comeback from a set and 5-3 down, saving two match points to prevail over the No. 13 seed Liudmila Samsonova with a score of 4-6, 7-6(6), 6-3 in a match lasting 2 hours and 37 minutes.