Sevastova Stuns Two-Time Defending Champion Pegula in Montreal

Anastasija Sevastova flipped the script and bounced two-time defending champion Jessica Pegula from the draw on Friday in Montreal, the new mother notching her first Top-10 win since 2020, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1.

The victory is Sevastova’s first Top-5 win since she defeated then-third-ranked Sloane Stephens in the quarterfinals at the 2018 US Open.

The 386-ranked Latvian is appearing in Montreal for the first time since 2021 due to maternity leave and an ACL tear to her left knee early in her comeback.

Today the 35-year-old rallied back for her second career win over Pegula, winning 12 of the final 15 games to book her spot in the round of 16 alongside Naomi Osaka.

“It was a weird match for me. I felt like I had total control, and then I just played a couple of terrible games for, like, three games,” Pegula later said.

“Then that kind of totally flipped the momentum of the match, and I went from being up a set in 2-0 to being down very quickly. I just didn’t feel like I maybe made her earn that at that point. I think I kind of gave that away.”

Earlier on Friday Osaka raced past Jelena Ostapenko, 6-2, 6-4.

“It was tough in the first set,” the former World No.11 said. “I didn’t think I played that great. I was down 2-0 in the second set and I started playing better and better. In the third set I played really well.

“Mentally just finding my game in the second set, just trying to stay on court as long as possible, and fighting for every point.”

Pegula, ranked fourth, has now lost three of four since the start of Wimbledon. She drops to 36-14 on the year.