Pegula Sets Svitolina Showdown, Sabalenka Wins At US Open; Gauff, Brady v Wozniacki Fri

American No. 1 Jessica Pegula cruised past Patricia Maria Tig 6-3, 6-1 Thursday night at the US Open to reach the third round.

It was awkward,” Pegula said. “We haven’t played each other; we were both nervous.

“Playing at night, conditions are different. It’s kind of cool tonight, totally different than when I played here the other day. You just have to adjust and get used to it.”

The third-seeded Pegula will now take on new mom Elina Svitolina who ran her mark in Slams this year to 11-2 after rallying to beat 32-year-old Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 5-7, 6-4, 6-4.

“Elina is so tough,” Pegula said. “I feel like every single match we play is always a really good battle. I feel like we play into each other’s games, where we make each other play better and we always have good matches. It’s great to see her back and playing at such a high level so quickly.”

After a rough opener, Ons Jabeur found the second round not much easier as 18-year-old Linda Noskova had the three-time Slam finalist on the ropes before falling 7-6(9-7), 4-6, 6-3. Jabeur felt better than Tuesday but the Czech teen proved a worthy foe.

“I think it was a great match for both of us,” Jabeur said. “I do respect her a lot. I think she’s the future in tennis, for sure. It was nice to get the win, even though it was very difficult, especially the second set, for me.”

Jabeur now gets another Czech in Marie Bouzkova who knocked out Petra Martic in straights.

Wimbledon champion and No. 9 seed Marketa Vondrousova coasted to another easy win thumping fellow lefty and one-time French semifinalist Martina Trevisan of Italy in straights 6-2, 6-2.

Vondrousova has dropped just seven games thus far and has won her last nine in Slams. Up next for the Czech will be Ekaterina Alexandrova.

No. 2 seed Aryna Sabalenka kept her streak going, too. The Australian Open champion has now won nine straight in hard court Slams after rolling Jodie Burrage 6-3, 6-2.

Sabalenka will next take on Frenchwoman Clara Burel who upset Elena Rybakina last year, and now takes down Karolina Pliskova 6-4, 6-2.

Elsewhere, No. 14 seed Liudmila Samsonova defeated Germany’s Tamara Korpatsch 6-3, 6-3. The 13th-seeded Daria Kasatkina battled past former Australian champ Sofia Kenin in three sets 2-6, 6-4, 6-4. 2017 finalist Madison Keys eased by lucky loser Yanina Wickmayer 6-1, 6-2. American 2022 NCAA winner Peyton Stearns cruised past Clara Tauson 6-3, 6-0. And Great Britain’s Katie Boulter beat Yafan Wang of China 5-7, 6-1, 6-4.

Friday in third round play, No. 1 Iga Swiatek battles best friend Kaja Juvan. Swiatek has won previous meetings.

No. 4 Elena Rybakina squares off against No. 30 Sorana Cirstea, No. 6 Coco Gauff locks up with No. 32 Elise Mertens under the Ashe lights and No. 10 Karolina Muchova will battle lefty Taylor Townsend.

Also, former No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki continues her comeback against someone else making their return, Jennifer Brady. The two have never played, but they will on Arthur Ashe tomorrow.

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