Pegula suffers shock exit from Canadian Open as Swiatek advances
Two-time defending champion Jessica Pegula experienced a stunning elimination from the Canadian Open on Friday, falling to world number 386 Anastasija Sevastova in a dramatic third-round encounter that ended 3-6 6-4 6-1. The upset result came as a major shock given Pegula's status as the tournament's third seed and her previous success in Montreal, while world number one Iga Swiatek continued her impressive form with a commanding 6-2 6-2 victory over Eva Lys.
The 35-year-old Sevastova produced one of the biggest surprises of the tournament so far, overcoming a set deficit and early second-set struggles to eliminate the American favorite. Despite trailing 2-0 in the second set, the veteran Latvian player found her rhythm and gradually took control of the match, ultimately dominating the decisive third set.
Reflecting on her remarkable comeback victory, Sevastova expressed her own surprise at the turnaround. "I don't know," Sevastova said after upsetting third seed Pegula. "Somehow, I was down 2-0 in the second set and started to play better and better. Third set, I played really good. Just trying to stay on the court as long as possible."
Sevastova's reward for her giant-killing performance is a fourth-round meeting with four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka, who secured her own progression by defeating 22nd seed Jelena Ostapenko from Latvia 6-2 6-4. The Japanese former world number one continues to show signs of returning to her best form as she builds towards the US Open.
Meanwhile, Swiatek demonstrated exactly why she remains the sport's dominant force, dispatching German qualifier Lys with minimal fuss. The Polish star's clinical performance showcased the form that has made her the overwhelming favorite for the Canadian Open title, and she will be confident of extending her winning run as the tournament progresses.
Fifth seed Amanda Anisimova also advanced in convincing fashion, recording a comprehensive 6-2 6-1 victory over former US Open champion Emma Raducanu. The result marked Anisimova's first career win over the British player, having previously lost both of their encounters. The American will now prepare for a challenging fourth-round clash against Ukrainian 10th seed Elina Svitolina.
The men's draw saw American second seed Taylor Fritz continue his excellent recent form with a straightforward 6-4 6-2 victory over Canadian 27th seed Gabriel Diallo. Fritz, who is pursuing a third title of the season following his triumphs at Eastbourne and Stuttgart, controlled the match from start to finish and will next face Czech 19th seed Jiri Lehecka.
Fritz expressed satisfaction with his all-around performance, particularly praising his baseline play. "Even the games that I didn't serve my best in, I felt like I backed it up really well from the baseline, so I'm happy with that," Fritz said.
Fourth seed Ben Shelton provided the drama in the men's section, needing three sets to overcome fellow American Brandon Nakashima in a thrilling encounter that finished 6-7(8) 6-2 7-6(5). The match featured several momentum shifts and required Shelton to dig deep to secure his progression to the fourth round.
Shelton acknowledged the challenging nature of his victory, highlighting the mental strength required to prevail. "It was back and forth," Shelton said. "There were a lot of huge moments, like being able to break back after getting broken in my first service game of the third set. I feel like I showed a lot of perseverance tonight."
The American's reward for his hard-fought victory is a fourth-round encounter with Italian 13th seed Flavio Cobolli, setting up another intriguing matchup as the tournament reaches its business end.
With Pegula's unexpected exit removing one of the pre-tournament favorites, the women's draw has opened up considerably, while the men's competition continues to follow a more predictable pattern with the higher seeds generally progressing as expected.
SportsLigue