dailyloe.com – Top seed Jessica Pegula defended her Charleston Open title with a grueling second-round victory on Tuesday. She overcame Yulia Putintseva 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 in a match lasting three hours and ten minutes. This marathon contest now stands as the longest tour-level win of Pegula’s professional career.
The American improved her impressive record in deciding sets this season to 7-1. She has now won 16 of her last 20 three-set matches dating back to the 2023 US Open. This demonstrates her consistent ability to absorb pressure and close out matches late.
This victory surpassed her previous longest win, a 3-hour, 4-minute battle against Leylah Fernandez in Cincinnati 2024. Her longest overall match was a 3-hour, 21-minute loss to Liudmila Samsonova in Berlin last year. The data confirms Pegula’s resilience in extended contests.
“Even though it’s not ideal maybe for tomorrow, I do feel like getting a three-hour match, you really break in the lungs,” Pegula stated to press. She noted the intense aerobic and anaerobic fitness required. The player suggested such matches can be beneficial for conditioning.
Meanwhile, the tournament’s second seed, Ekaterina Alexandrova, was forced to withdraw due to injury. This alters the draw dynamics for the remaining competitors. Pegula advances to the third round of the WTA 500 clay-court event.[]
Source: WTA Tennis
