Jessica Pegula snatches spot in last eight at Qatar Total Energies Open

Jessica Pegula celebrates her win over Jelena Ostapenko at the Qatar Total Energies Open. 

In a match that flipped and flopped, Jessica Pegula was the one who came out on top at the Qatar Total Energies Open Wednesday night. Jelena Ostapenko overcame a first-set defeat, took the second, and slipped late in the third to give the American a 6-2, 2-6, 7-5 win on center court at the Khalifa International Tennis Center.

The Latvian found a way to etch out a victory against Madison Keys, getting it in straight sets. The American wasn’t at her best on the day, snapping a three-match grip against Ostapenko. With her out of the picture, the world number four rose on the horizon of the 25-year-old. Pegula carries an 8-2 record after closing the Australian Open with a quarterfinal placement. With two weeks off, the American recovered to face the Latvian for the third time and second in Doha. With a victory on the courts of Doha two years back, the Buffalo native would push for another against Ostapenko to reach the round of 16 once more.

The American got her offense into action in a timely matter, dictating the first three games, with Ostapenko having troubles out of the block. With a double break in hand, Pegula consolidated with a hold to lead 4-0. Ostapenko got on the board, holding Pegula to a point for the service win.

Pegula made it 5-1 in the sixth, sitting a game down from the set. The Latvian dug out another good service game from her end, but it was a long hill to climb and Pegula refused to slip up. The 28-year-old rallied to three set points, winning it on her second attempt to end 27 minutes.

Things turned around for the Latvian, who served up a win, despite having to go to deuce to get it done. She battled against the American for a break that also went to deuce, needing two breaks for it. It was quickly a 3-0 hold for Ostapenko, who dug in well against Pegula to make it a competitive match. The American struck a win on her service in the fourth but continued to face a three-game deficit.

It was in the eighth that Ostapenko completed the comeback, breaking Pegula to love that forced the American to a decider after 35 minutes. It was in that set that the American had tallied four double faults and a bad return game that shuddered through her whole skill level. With a new outlook on the match, the Latvian went into the third set feeling confident in her efforts to upset the second set.

Ostapenko pulled off her first serve to love on the day, then broke Pegula in the second. She backed up the good start with a hold in the third, building up the gap against the American. Pegula answered in the fourth but suffered another shutout on Ostapenko’s second love service. Through the next three games, the competition wasn’t fierce, but the fire inside the Latvian remained.

Pegula had three games under her belt, holding Ostapenko twice from taking the match outright. She made it three in a row after the ninth, breaking the Latvian for the double and serving to level the score. Ostapenko had two match-point attempts in the tenth to dispatch the American, but mistakes cost her those opportunities. After four breaks, the second seed forced the match onward, setting up a battle in the 11th.

It was there that she got to deuce with Ostapenko until a challenge gave her the win on a wide shot from the Latvian. With a 6-5 lead and the chance to serve it out, Pegula made it an easy finish. Achieving two match points, the American sealed up the comeback, swiping back the win after a 1-hour and 52 minute tug of war.