Jessica Pegula Reaches US Open Third Round With Kenin Win

World number three Jessica Pegula moved into the third round of the US Open on Wednesday with a 6-3, 6-1 victory over compatriot Sofia Kenin, completing the straight-sets win in just 56 minutes.

Pegula was especially secure behind her serve, dropping only seven points on serve as she overcame former Australian Open champion Kenin, who is ranked 110th. The result keeps the American’s New York campaign moving and sends her into a meeting with another former US Open finalist, Canada’s Leylah Fernandez.

“I was just trying to stay focused on what I needed to do,” Pegula said after the win. The 2024 US Open finalist is also among three players who could replace Aryna Sabalenka at the top of the world rankings during the tournament.

Pegula delivers a swift straight-sets victory

Pegula took the opening set 6-3 before increasing her control in the second, which she won 6-1. The scoreline reflected a concise performance from the third seed, whose serving numbers gave Kenin little room to establish momentum in the match.

The victory was Pegula’s second step through the draw and put her in the third round without the need for a deciding set. Her 56-minute passage also made the result one of the more efficient wins of the day-four schedule in New York.

Kenin entered the contest as a former major champion, but Pegula’s dominance on serve was the defining statistical detail. By conceding just seven points in her service games, Pegula consistently protected her position throughout the 6-3, 6-1 result.

For Pegula, the tournament carries added significance after her run to the US Open final in 2024. She now remains in contention at her home major while the battle for the world number one ranking continues in New York.

Fernandez awaits in the third round

Pegula’s next opponent will be Leylah Fernandez, another player with experience of reaching the US Open final. Fernandez booked her place in the third round by beating Thailand’s Mananchaya Sawangkaew 6-4, 6-1.

The Pegula-Fernandez match will therefore bring together two former finalists at the tournament. Pegula arrives after conceding only four games to Kenin, while Fernandez also advanced in straight sets after dropping the first set of her match only to the scoreline of 6-4.

Elsewhere on the Wednesday schedule, defending champions Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka were among the headline names in action. Sabalenka, the world number one, was set to face Russian qualifier Polina Iatcenko, ranked 160th, as she pursued a third straight US Open title.

Second-ranked Alcaraz was due to close the night session against Portugal’s Jaime Faria. Alcaraz had opened with a straight-set victory over Roman Safiullin after arriving in New York following a four-month layoff caused by a wrist injury, which kept him out of Roland Garros and Wimbledon.

Other seeded players seeking third-round places included Daniil Medvedev, Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe. Alex de Minaur, meanwhile, was hoping to begin his campaign against Italy’s Andrea Guerrieri after their first-round match was postponed from Tuesday because of rain.

Pegula’s victory ensured that the home challenge remained prominent in the women’s draw. Her next test against Fernandez will offer another notable US Open fixture, with a place in the fourth round at stake.