Liudmila Samsonova of Russia hits a return to Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus, during the National Bank Open tennis tournament in Montreal, Friday, Aug. 11, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi
MONTREAL – American Jessica Pegula got the best of doubles partner Coco Gauff, winning 6-2, 5-7, 7-5 in singles play on Friday to advance to the National Bank Open semifinals for a third straight year.
Tied 5-5 in the third set, Gauff double faulted for a ninth time while defending a breakpoint to give Pegula the edge. Pegula, the tournament’s fourth seed, then served to win the match in two hours 21 minutes.
Pegula will play the winner of Friday’s match between top seed Iga Swiatek of Poland and American qualifier Danielle Collins in Saturday’s semifinal.
She now has the edge in all-time meetings between the two friends, leading 2-1.
Pegula broke Gauff in the first game of the match to jump to an early lead, before breaking the fellow American once more en route to a dominant first-set win.
Gauff, the sixth seed who won the Citi DC Open on Sunday before flying to Montreal, managed to turn things around in the second.
Up 4-3, Gauff benefited from a couple unforced errors from Pegula to go up a break and serve for the set. Pegula, however, instantly broke back to make it 5-4 – much to the frustration of Gauff, who threw her racket to the ground.
Gauff still managed to force a third set by breaking Pegula again three games later.
Pegula, seeking her first NBO Open title after reaching the semifinals at the last two tournaments, went up a break early in the third. Gauff got one back to tie it 4-4 before Pegula eventually won the match.
After battling out as opponents, the two players were scheduled to take the court together again later Friday – this time as teammates.
Pegula and Gauff, who make up the world No. 1 duo in doubles, were to take on seventh seeds Shuko Aoyama and Ena Shibahara of Japan in the quarterfinals.
Elsewhere in doubles play, Canadians Marina Stakusic and Carol Zhao lost 3-6, 6-3, 10-6 to fourth seeds Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Ellen Perez of Australia in round of 16 play.
Stakusic, of Mississauga, Ont., and Zhao, of Richmond Hill, Ont., were the last Canadians still playing in Montreal.
Later Friday, Liudmila Samsonova of Russia and Belinda Bencic of Switzerland will meet in the quarterfinals after both players won their round of 16 matches.
Samsonova upset second-seeded Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus 7-6 (2), 4-6, 6-3 earlier on Friday to advance.
Samsonova, the tournament’s 15th seed, went up a break late in the third set to serve for the match.
Sabalenka had a chance to break back in the final game, but Samsonova fended it off before hitting a cheeky drop shot on match point.
“It was a really tough match, she played unbelievable tennis,” said Sabalenka. “Unfortunately, physically I wasn’t ready to play at my highest level today, but I’m still happy with the level I showed. More likely the fighting spirit than the level.”
Bencic beat seventh seed Petra Kvitova of Czechia 6-7 (3), 6-3, 6-1.
After Bencic rolled her ankle early in the third set, Kvitova displayed some true sportsmanship by helping Bencic to her bench and holding her ice bag.
Bencic ultimately carried on to win the match.
The winner between Bencic and Samsonova will face either third seed Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan or 10th seed Daria Kasatkina of Russia in the semifinals.
The final round of 16 matches had to be squeezed in before the quarterfinals after they were postponed due to lengthy rain delays on Thursday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 11, 2023.
