Pegula converts fifth match point to hold off Fernandez in wild match at Western & Southern Open

Jessica Pegula survived a marathon match against Leylah Fernandez on Friday in Cincinnati. The Toronto champion awaits either Paula Badosa or Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the semi-finals.

Jessica Pegula, Cincinnati Open, 2024 © Zuma / Panoramic

Ricky Dimon

August 17, 2024

Cincinnati Open •Quarter-final • completed

See draw

J. PegulavsL. Fernandez

Jessica Pegula and Leylah Fernandez did not have to go across the street to King’s Island to find a roller-coaster ride.

Instead, they had their own private one on the tennis court on Saturday afternoon at the Western & Southern Open.

Pegula survived a back-and-forth thriller at the Linder Family Tennis Center in Cincinnati, beating Fernandez 7-5, 6-7 (1), 7-6 (3) to earn a semi-final spot after three hours and five minutes of play. The American led by a set and 4-0 in the second — and also by 3-0 in the third — before finally getting across the finish line in a decisive tiebreak.

Ice in her veins ❄️

Make it 9 wins in a row for @JPegula as she digs deep to defeat Fernandez 7-5, 6-7(1), 7-6(3) to reach the Cincinnati semifinals!

Faces the winner of Pavlyuchenkova/Badosa for a place in the final. #CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/HMEyrEdvIQ
— wta (@WTA) August 17, 2024

Coming off a second consecutive title at the WTA Premier 1000 tournament in Canada, Pegula for a while looked like she would have no trouble extending her winning streak to nine. However, things started to fall apart when Fernandez reeled off five games in a row from 4-0 down in the second set. The Canadian even had triple-set point on her opponent’s serve in the next game, but Pegula held for 5-5. Pegula saved another set point at 5-6 only to see Fernandez dominate the ensuing tiebreak.

Fernandez’s flair for the dramatic continued in set three. She recovered from a 3-0 deficit to reach 3-3 and eventually fought off three match points while serving at 5-6. Finally, Pegula seized a 6-2 advantage in the tiebreak and capitalized on her fifth match point at 6-3.

Pegula on Sunday will face the winner of the match between Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Spaniard Paula Badosa.

Earlier in the tournament the world No 6 defeated Karolina Muchova (5-7, 6-4, 6-2) and qualifier Taylor Townsend (6-2, 6-3).

In her run to the last eight Fernandez, ranked No 27, ousted China’s Yue Yuan (3-6, 6-4, 6-3), Kazakh Elena Rybakina, the No 4 seed (3-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4) and Russian Diana Shnaider (6-1, 6-4).