Last year’s US Open runner-up, American Jessica Pegra, passed Anna Brinkova 6-1, 6-3 on Wednesday, taking just 64 minutes to advance to the third round at Flushing Meadows for the sixth consecutive year.
Since its inception in 2021, the fourth seed Pegra has won 32 games in the hard court majors.
Pegra, 31, only dropped eight games in two games. This year’s US Open marks its 16th, third appearance in the slam.
She will cut out work for her in the next round. She will face Australia’s two-time Open champion and former No. 1 Victoria Azarenka, who has not been seeded in the tournament.
Azarenka, 36, a three-time US open finalist, won her 100th career match in the hard court major, beating Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-3, 6-3 early on Wednesday. She became the fifth woman to reach that mark, along with Serena Williams (200), Venus Williams (133), Steffy Graf (120) and Lindsey Davenport (118).
“Vica is always really difficult,” Pegra said. “I know she doesn’t play that much, she’s hurt, but all of these things, but… when she’s there, she’s probably one of the best bass liners we’ve ever had.
This will mark the seventh meeting of Pegra and Azarenka. They split the previous six matches.
“I feel like I know her pretty well. I think we really know each other’s games,” Pegra said. “We practice quite a few times, we go back home.
In the evening session, top-seeded Arena Sabalenka rolled into the third round, easily beating Polina Kudametova 7-6 (4), 6-2.
Participating in Pegra and Sabalenka, it was 10th seed Emmanavaro who reached the second round, beating Cathy McNally 6-2, 6-1 in a national matchup in the grandstands. Next is a rematch with two-time SLAM winner Barbora Krejcikova, who Krejcikova eliminated at defending champion Wimbledon.
American Taylor Townsend reached the next round following a tense 7-5, 6-1 victory over French Open champion Jerena Ostapenko in 2017.
In other women’s singles results, British Emma Radukanu won the second round match against Janice Tien 6-2, 6-1. Raducanu only dropped six games in this tournament. Her previous worst came when she won the 2021 US Open and dropped 11 games in two rounds.
Alexandra Eerra made history in Round 1 as the first player to represent the Philippines to win a Grand Slam match during the Open era, and saw New York’s run end with Spain’s Christina Bussa 6-4, 6-3.
Seeded players Elena Rivakina (9), Elise Mertens (19) and Mira Andreva (5) all won in straight sets, with No. 17 Ludmira Samsonova being exiled by Priscilla Hon.
Later on Wednesday, Belinda Bensik, the 16th seed, was upset by America’s Anne Lee 6-3, 6-3. Another American, 32nd seeded McCartney Kessler, lost to Marketa Vondrousova 7-6 (7), 6-2.
No at night session. Jasmine Paolini of 7 has previously cruised 17-year-old American Iva Jovic 6-3, 6-3 with Louis Armstrong. Italian native Parini has won three or more rounds in seven of his previous eight majors, dating back to the beginning of last year. Prior to that, she had never passed the second round in the slam and had a record of 4-16.
ESPN research contributed to this report.
