In-form Pegula sets up Azarenka semi-final clash in Guadalajara
Azarenka leads Pegula 2-1 in career head-to-heads
Third seed Jessica Pegula continued her best season on tour by reaching the semi-finals of the Guadalajara Open at the Centro Panamericano de Tenis on Friday.
The 29-year-old American defeated American Sloane Stephens 6-2, 6-2 to set up a showdown against former world No 1 Victoria Azarenka.
Pegula had edged out Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina (2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (8)) and defeated Canadian Bianca Andreescu (6-4, 6-4) earlier in the tournament.
The American has won one of her three career meetings against Azarenka. The Belarusian defeated Pegula’s doubles partner Coco Gauff in a three-set battle 7-6 (2), 4-6, 6-3 earlier in the day.
Pegula and Gauff did go down in the doubles quarter-finals later on Friday, with the third seeds bowing out to Beatriz Haddad Maia and Anna Danilina 6-4, 7-5
Guadalajara WTA 1000, other quarter-finals results (Centro Panamericano de Tenis, hard, USD 2.527.250, most recent results first):
- Anna Kalinskaya vs. Marie Bouzkova
- Veronika Kudermetova vs. Maria Sakkari
- Victoria Azarenka beat Coco Gauff (5): 7-6 (2), 4-6, 6-3