Tokyo, Japan - World No. 4 Jessica Pegula of the United States needed just 62 minutes to defeat Spain's Cristina Bucsa 6-1, 6-4 in the second round of the WTA 500 event in Tokyo on Wednesday. Pegula's victory makes her the first player to book a spot in the quarterfinals.
Pegula was dominant from the start, winning the first set in just 25 minutes. She broke Bucsa's serve three times in the set and never looked back. In the second set, Pegula broke Bucsa's serve early to take a 3-1 lead. Bucsa broke back to make it 3-2, but Pegula broke her again at 4-3 to take control of the match. Pegula served out the match to win 6-4.
"I thought I played very well," Pegula said on court after her win. "The courts play pretty fast here, so I was just trying to focus on my serve and my return, and I thought I did that really well, and was able to play a very clean match today."
Pegula's victory is her 45th of the season, which is the third-most on the WTA Tour behind only Iga Swiatek (56) and Aryna Sabalenka (50). She has also improved to 20-1 against players ranked outside the Top 50 this year.
Pegula's next opponent in the quarterfinals will be either No. 6 seed Veronika Kudermetova of Russia or No. 11 seed Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil.
Analysis
Pegula's victory over Bucsa was a dominant performance from the start to finish. She served well, returned well, and hit her groundstrokes with great depth and power. Bucsa had no answers for Pegula's game.
Pegula is playing some of the best tennis of her career in 2023. She has won three titles this year, including her first WTA 1000 title in Montreal. She is also the first American woman to reach the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam in four consecutive years since Serena Williams in 2014-15.
Pegula is one of the favorites to win the title in Tokyo. She is in good form and has a favorable matchup against both Kudermetova and Haddad Maia. If she can continue to play at the same high level, she will be a tough opponent for anyone to beat.
Pegula's Journey to the Tokyo Quarterfinals
Pegula received a first-round bye in Tokyo. In her second-round match against Bucsa, she was in control from the start. She broke Bucsa's serve three times in the first set to win 6-1. In the second set, Pegula broke Bucsa's serve early to take a 3-1 lead. Bucsa broke back to make it 3-2, but Pegula broke her again at 4-3 to take control of the match. Pegula served out the match to win 6-4.
Pegula's Next Opponent
Pegula's next opponent in the quarterfinals will be either No. 6 seed Veronika Kudermetova of Russia or No. 11 seed Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil.
Kudermetova is a tough opponent who is known for her all-court game. She has reached the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam twice this year, at the Australian Open and the US Open.
Haddad Maia is a powerful player who is known for her big serve and forehand. She has reached the semifinals of a WTA 1000 tournament this year, in Indian Wells.
Pegula has a favorable matchup against both Kudermetova and Haddad Maia. She has beaten Kudermetova three times in their four previous meetings, and she has beaten Haddad Maia once in their only previous meeting.
Pegula's Chances of Winning the Title in Tokyo
Pegula is one of the favorites to win the title in Tokyo. She is in good form and has a favorable matchup against both Kudermetova and Haddad Maia. If she can continue to play at the same high level, she will be a tough opponent for anyone to beat.
Other Players to Watch in Tokyo
In addition to Pegula, there are a number of other top players who are competing in Tokyo, including:
Iga Swiatek (Poland): World No. 1 and two-time Grand Slam champion
Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus): World No. 2 and two-time Grand Slam finalist
Coco Gauff (United States): World No. 12 and rising star
Elena Rybakina (Kazakhstan): World