Jessica Pegula overcomes Leylah Fernandez to reach U.S. Open fourth round

NEW YORK – Jessica Pegula walked into Arthur Ashe Stadium as a contender and, for a set, looked nothing like one. She walked out still very much in the hunt for her first Grand Slam title.

The third seed was battered early, then bit back hard, rallying from a one-sided opening set to defeat Leylah Fernandez 1-6 6-4 6-3 on Friday and reach the fourth round at Flushing Meadows.

It was gritty, not pretty. And exactly the kind of match title hopefuls have to win.

Fernandez flies out of the blocks

Back on the court where her 2021 U.S. Open fairy tale ended against Emma Raducanu, the 23-year-old Fernandez looked determined to script a new chapter.

She tore into Pegula from the first ball.

The Canadian’s left-handed game cut through the humid New York air, her deep, driving groundstrokes pinning Pegula behind the baseline. She changed pace, shifted angles, and never allowed the American to settle. Pegula’s timing deserted her; Fernandez’s didn’t.

Thirty minutes later, the opening set was gone, 6-1, and Pegula was staring at an early exit.

Pegula steadies, then turns the screw

Pegula needed a foothold. She found it midway through the second set.

At 3-2, she finally broke Fernandez in the sixth game, a breakthrough that loosened her shoulders and quieted the Canadian’s charge. The next game turned into a test of nerve, Pegula grinding through a crucial hold as Fernandez tried to wrestle momentum straight back.

Fernandez did launch a response, pushing again and refusing to fade. But Pegula, 32 and hardened by years of deep runs at majors, held firm. Her serve tightened, her groundstrokes gained depth, and she did just enough to keep the Canadian at arm’s length, closing out the set 6-4 to drag the match into a decider.

The contest had flipped. Pegula, once overrun, now looked in control of the tempo.

Experience decides the decider

The final set hinged on a handful of points.

Pegula faced early pressure and saved break points, her composure on those moments underlining why she arrived in New York as one of the favourites. Fernandez blinked first. At 2-1, she pushed a shot wide, and Pegula pounced for a 3-1 lead.

From there, the American didn’t let go.

She held with authority, managed the rallies with clarity, and forced Fernandez to chase the scoreboard. The Canadian still swung freely, but the clean winners of the first set came less often, the errors creeping in as Pegula’s weight of shot told.

On match point, Pegula finished with a flourish, closing the door with a crisp backhand volley winner to seal the comeback.

Cirstea awaits, flaws to fix

The 1-6 6-4 6-3 victory keeps Pegula’s bid for a maiden Grand Slam title alive, but it also underlined the work still to do. The slow start, the early struggles with Fernandez’s pace and variety, and the patchy rhythm will not go unnoticed.

Next up is Sorana Cirstea in the last 16, a seasoned opponent capable of punishing any lapse.

Pegula showed the resilience and composure that have made her a genuine threat in New York. The question now is whether she can sharpen the edges of her game quickly enough to turn that threat into something more permanent over the coming week.