Flawless Pegula gets destroyed by Kudermetova to win the Tokyo title.
Reuters, Oct. 1, Tokyo – Veronika Kudermetova, the eighth seed, defeated world no. 4 Jessica Pegula in the Pan Pacific Open final on Sunday in Tokyo and went on to win the match 7-5, 6-1 for her first win of the year and second overall.
With American Pegula broken early for a 3-0 lead, a determined Kudermetova wasted little time unleashing her potent shots from the baseline. However, she dropped her own service in the fifth game, allowing her opponent to tie the match.
Kudermetova won the opening set thanks to Pegula’s unexpected double fault. In the second set, the Russian world number 19 increased her effort as she sprinted to a 5-1 lead before winning the match on her third matchpoint with a strong serve.
Following her triumph in the Madrid quarterfinals, this was Kudermetova’s second victory against Pegula this year. It was also her fifth victory in her previous six matches against opponents ranked in the top ten.
Earlier in the competition, the 26-year-old had prevailed against world number two Iga Swiatek.
“I’m pretty pleased with how I performed today. It’s my second title, and I’m proud of myself,” Kudermetova, whose first victory came at Charleston in the WTA 500 in 2021, stated.
“Since Jessica is a fantastic fighter and player, I prepared myself for a challenging match… Winning a significant competition is always good.
After a successful week in which she didn’t lose a set until the final, Pegula focused on the positives.
Giving yourself a chance to win the competition is always a wonderful idea, Pegula remarked.
“I’m still optimistic about that and some of my matches, especially going into Beijing,” you say. She displayed excellent tennis, and sometimes that is the way things are.
Pegula won’t be very unhappy, either, as her strong performance will significantly increase her chances of qualifying for the season-ending WTA Finals in Cancun, Mexico.
She will compete in the season finale starting later this month alongside Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, and Elena Rybakina.
