Sevastova Stuns Pegula, Advances in Canadian Open

Montreal, Canada – Anastasija Sevastova, at 35 years old and playing just her 24th match at the WTA Tour level in four years, upset Jessica Pegula in a stunning comeback on Friday. Sevastova rallied from a set down to claim a 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 victory, marking her first progression to the WTA 1000 Round of 16 since 2021.

Competing against the No. 3 seed and two-time defending champion Pegula at the Omnium Banque Nationale, Sevastova showcased her resilience. After sustaining a knee injury that limited her play, she entered the tournament with a protected ranking at No. 386 in the PIF WTA Rankings. Sevastova’s win also marked her as the lowest-ranked player to defeat a Top 10 player since Angelique Kerber did so over a year ago at Indian Wells.

“I don’t know,” Sevastova said in her on-court interview about her performance. “Somehow, I was down 2-0 in the second set and started to play better and better. Third set, I played really good. Just trying to stay on the court as long as possible.” Sevastova had lost her last seven matches against Top 5 players prior to this win.

The Latvian has not reached the WTA 1000 Round of 16 since the Madrid Open in 2021. With this victory, she can equal her best career result in Canada if she wins her next match on Sunday against Naomi Osaka, who defeated Jelena Ostapenko 6-2, 6-4.

Meanwhile, the 6th seed Madison Keys successfully overcame fellow American Caty McNally, winning 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 in a thrilling encounter. “Today I did a good job of bouncing back after the first set,” Keys reflected. She is now set to play the winner between No. 11 seed Karolina Muchova and Belinda Bencic.

After a strong season, Sevastova’s unexpected victory marks a significant moment in her career as she aims to regain form following her injuries. With nine out of her 13 recent matches won, she is ready to continue challenging competitors in Montreal.