Sevastova Upsets Pegula in Montreal; Osaka Advances to Next Round

Pegula Surprisingly Eliminated in Montreal

Tennis player Jessica Pegula, the defending champion on two occasions, has been surprisingly eliminated in the third round of the National Bank Open. The defeat came after a match against Anastasija Sevastova, with a final score of 3-6, 6-4, 6-1. Sevastova, 35 years old and from Latvia, who reached number 11 in the ranking in 2018, but is currently ranked 386, managed to break Pegula’s serve, seeded number 3, on six occasions out of ten opportunities.

Somehow, I was losing 2-0 in the second set and I started playing better and better. In the third set, I played really well. I was just trying to stay on the court as long as possible.
Anastasija Sevastova

In the night match, Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek of Poland defeated Eva Lys of Germany with a convincing 6-2, 6-2. Swiatek, seeded number 2, advanced to face Clara Tauson of Denmark, seeded number 16, who won 6-3, 6-0 against Yuliia Starodubtseva of Ukraine. Sevastova, who has participated in 24 WTA circuit matches in the last four years, earned a place in the main draw thanks to a protected ranking due to a knee injury. In March 2024, in her fourth tournament after her return from maternity leave, she suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament at the ATX Open.

It’s difficult, but I think I’m also a fighter on the court. I didn’t want to give up. This was really about coming back and proving that you can do it after an ACL tear, after such a setback. It was like unfinished business.
Anastasija Sevastova

Pegula’s defeat adds to an unfavorable streak for the tennis player, currently ranked number 4 in the ranking. Although she won her first match in Montreal against Maria Sakkari of Greece, she was eliminated at Wimbledon and the D.C. Open after only one match in July.

To be honest, it hasn’t been great. I really don’t feel like I’m playing great tennis. Sometimes I do, but I feel very inconsistent, a little sloppy, which I don’t like. It really bothers me.
Jessica Pegula

Sevastova will face Naomi Osaka, who advanced to the fourth round after defeating Jelena Ostapenko, seeded number 22, with a score of 6-2, 6-4. Osaka, former world number 1 and originally from Japan, hit five aces and converted six of nine break opportunities to win the match in 1 hour and 12 minutes.

She broke my serve a couple of times, but she’s a very good returner, so I can’t take it personally. I went in knowing she’s a great player, and if I give her a chance, she’ll win, so I just tried to keep my rhythm and stay as solid as possible.
Naomi Osaka

For her part, Amanda Anisimova, seeded number 5 from the United States, defeated Emma Raducanu from England with a score of 6-2, 6-1. Anisimova will face Elina Svitolina from Ukraine, seeded number 10, who defeated Anna Kalinskaya from Russia with a score of 6-1, 6-1. Madison Keys, seeded number 6, defeated her compatriot Caty McNally with a score of 2-6, 6-3, 6-3.