Jessica Pegula swept past Sofia Kenin 6-3, 6-1 in 56 minutes on Wednesday, extending her run of US Open third-round appearances to seven consecutive years and setting up a Friday meeting with Leylah Fernandez.
Key takeaways
- Pegula controlled the all-American second-round match from start to finish, losing only four games.
- The victory placed the American in the third round at Flushing Meadows for the seventh year in succession.
- Fernandez awaits Pegula on Friday, with a fourth-round place at stake on the US Open hard courts.
- Pegula reflected on Althea Gibson’s enduring role in broadening opportunity in American tennis.
- She said watching Venus and Serena Williams as a child shaped her own connection to the sport.
A composed route through the draw
There was little suspense in Pegula’s 56-minute dismissal of Kenin. The 6-3, 6-1 scoreline sent her efficiently through the bottom half of the women’s draw, preserving her familiar place in the tournament’s second week conversation.
The next assignment is a Friday contest against Canada’s Fernandez. Pegula will be playing for a spot in the fourth round, continuing a US Open record of consistency that now stretches across seven straight editions.
Her perspective around the grounds has changed with time. Pegula once stood in autograph queues herself, recalling that she collected Lindsay Davenport’s signature as a young supporter. Davenport is now her captain in the Billie Jean King Cup, while Billie Jean King has become another major figure in Pegula’s tennis life.
Gibson’s influence across generations
After the match, Pegula turned to the legacy of Althea Gibson and the changing face of American tennis. Last year marked 75 years since Gibson became the first Black competitor at the U.S. National Championships, the event that later developed into the US Open.
Gibson went on to collect 11 major titles across singles, doubles and mixed doubles. Her achievements included back-to-back singles crowns at Wimbledon and the U.S. Nationals in 1957 and 1958.
Pegula said Gibson’s breakthrough gave players from a wider range of backgrounds reason to believe there was a place for them in the game. She pointed to the Williams sisters as two of tennis’ defining figures and considered the path from Gibson’s example to Venus and Serena, and then to the players who followed.
As a child, Pegula supported Venus and Serena Williams from in front of the television. Now, she said, age has made her increasingly aware of the responsibility that comes with being visible to young fans.
“You think back to being a kid and ask yourself who you wanted to be like,” Pegula said. “That makes inspiring the next generation feel much more important.”
She added that conversations with children and the routine of signing memorabilia can matter more than they appear. “You cannot know which kid may become the next player,” she said. “I used to be that kid myself.”
