Svitolina beats Pegula in three sets at Paris Olympics

Elina Svitolina celebrates a game-winner during the second-round match against Jessica Pegula at the Summer Olympics. 

Elina Svitolina played into the late into the Parisian night to move forward in the Summer Olympics Monday night. Jessica Pegula proved a formidable opponent early but overcame her in three sets winning 4-6, 6-1, 6-3 on Philippe Chatrier at Roland Garros. 

The defending bronze medalist won her opening match against Moyuka Uchijima in straight sets, allowing the Japanese player three games. The challenge increased exponentially as she faced the world number six for the sixth time in their career. The American carried a 4-1 series lead, but none of their matches came on clay. Pegula didn’t play any tournaments on the surface due to an injury. Her win over Vikorija Golubic in straight sets allowed her to concentrate on playing up to speed on clay, and defeat the Ukrainian once more. 

Svitolina opened the scoring and went after the American in the second, only to come up short on deuce. Pegula upped the ante in the third, jumping to a breakpoint opportunity that gave her the lead. Svitolina broke back due to a couple of errors from Pegula’s forehand and controlled her serve in the fifth to consolidate. Pegula leveled the score after the sixth, scoring her first serve to love on the Ukrainian. 

Svitolina clinched another service hold, avoiding a lengthy deuce with the American, firing a brilliant backhanded crosscourt winner. The 30-year-old answered with another serve to love, maintaining an even keel on the scoreboard. She battled late in the ninth game, getting into a tight rally near the net, which ended with Svitolina losing on a ball into the net. Pegula played for the set, earning key points on long balls from the 29-year-old to end the first in 41 minutes. 

Two double faults were a big problem for Svitolina, whose second serve struggled offensively. Despite nine winners, her 15 unforced and previous factors dropped her momentum in the late stages of the set. 

She moved on into the second, holding serve on Pegula to get the set rolling. Pegula allowed her opponent a point before capping the second game. Svitolina shot beautifully in the third, smashing shots away from the American to lead on. In the fourth, the two got into a pop fly rally on the final point, when Svitolina stopped play due to a ball falling long of the baseline. The umpire determined she was correct and went on to go a break up at 3-1. 

Errors forced a breakback chance for Pegula, who was denied on a second ace from the 29-year-old. She kept the winners coming, clinching the AD point to consolidate the break. The American tried to turn things around but struggled to counter Svitolina on deuce. After two breaks, the Ukrainian had the double break in hand to serve for a chance at a decider. 

A drop in her game forced Svitolina to get aggressive and bring the game near the net. She forced deuce on errors from Pegula and took the set on a ball into the net ending 34 minutes of play. Svitolina limited the double faults in half, improving the second serve to 90 percent won from it. Pegula’s reception of points dropped with only 12 of 38 and 14 errors from her end. 

Svitolina took her momentum into the third and rallied with great depth in the rallies with the American, scoring the early break. She tied a service hold, preventing the world number six from forcing deuce. Pegula got on the board, serving Svitolina to love, but the 29-year-old was laser-focused. She went up 3-1, but let up and erred just enough to get Pegula within a game. As the players approached the business end of the match, holds of serve were key to attain. Svitolina had a two-game buffer in the sixth until a hold from Pegula kept the American within reach. 

The Ukrainian fed off the support in the crowd to take her two-game lead back and play for the match against the 30-year-old. Long balls from Pegula put her behind on serve, inching Svitolina closer to the end. A big return forehand set up Svitolina for match point, which came on a wide return from Pegula closing out the night in 1 hour and 49 minutes.