Jessica Pegula says she “does not mind” playing Elena Rybakina but noted that the Kazakh “is the one to beat right now.” Pegula, 29, and 23-year-old Rybakina are set to meet in the Miami semifinal. Going into the match, Pegula owns a 2-0 head-to-head record.
Pegula defeated Rybakina twice last year but the Kazakh elevated her game to a new level at the start of the 2023 season. “I don’t mind playing her, at least in the past. Obviously she’s picked up her level since then, so it’ll be a tough test, especially after this match, just physically see how I feel.
Hopefully I can recover in time. At least I have another day. I think she and Sabalenka are the ones to beat right now so it’s going to be a great test and a deserved semi for a tournament like this,” Pegula said.
Pegula beat Anastasia Potapova to set up a Rybakina match
Pegula, ranked at No 3 in the world, saved two match points before edging out 26th-ranked Potapova 4-6 6-3 7-6 (2).
In the third set, Potapova was twice serving for the match but Pegula twice managed to recover and eventually force a tie-break – which the American won. Serving for the match in the 10th game of the third set, Potapova missed out on two match points.
“I really don’t know how I won. She was just playing fearless, just going for her shots,…
