The Miami Open is underway, and the tournament has already seen some exciting matches. Jessica Pegula and Elena Rybakina both recorded impressive wins in their respective matches, proving that they are serious contenders in this year’s tournament.
In this article, we will dive deeper into these matches, discussing the players’ performances and analyzing their chances of success in the tournament. We will also be using sources from Yahoo Sports and WTA Tennis to provide a comprehensive overview of the Miami Open.
Pegula Advances to the Third Round with Straight-Sets Win
Jessica Pegula, the 29th seed in the Miami Open, advanced to the third round with a dominant 6-2, 6-2 win over Mayar Sherif of Egypt. Pegula, who reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open earlier this year, continued her impressive form with a commanding performance in Miami.
In the first set, Pegula broke Sherif’s serve twice to take a 4-1 lead. She then held her serve to win the set 6-2. In the second set, Pegula broke Sherif’s serve in the first game and never looked back. She closed out the set 6-2 to secure her place in the third round.
Pegula’s win was a testament to her strong form this year. She will now face the winner of the match between Ons Jabeur and Anna Kalinskaya in the third round.
Rybakina Survives Tough Battle to Upset Kasatkina
Elena Rybakina, the 21st seed in the Miami Open, survived a tough battle against Daria Kasatkina to advance to the third round. Rybakina won the match 6-3, 6-7(4), 6-4 in a match that lasted two hours and 26 minutes.
Rybakina dominated the first set, breaking Kasatkina’s serve twice to take a 5-1 lead. She closed out the set 6-3 with ease. In the second set, Kasatkina fought back and broke Rybakina’s serve in the fourth game to take a 3-1 lead. Rybakina, however, broke back in the eighth game to level the set at 4-4. The set went to a tiebreak, which Kasatkina won 7-4.
In the third set, Rybakina got an early break to take a 2-0 lead. Kasatkina fought back to level the set at 3-3, but Rybakina broke her serve in the seventh game to take a 4-3 lead. Rybakina then held her serve to win the match 6-3, 6-7(4), 6-4.
Rybakina’s win was a significant upset, as Kasatkina was the 8th seed in the tournament. Rybakina will now face the winner of the match between Karolina Muchova and Amanda Anisimova in the third round.
Conclusion:
The Miami Open has already seen some thrilling matches, and the tournament is only just getting started. Jessica Pegula and Elena Rybakina both recorded impressive wins in their respective matches, and they will be looking to carry that momentum into the later stages of the tournament. With plenty of exciting matchups still to come, tennis fans will be eagerly watching to see who comes out on top in Miami.
Who is Elena Rybakina
Elena Rybakina is a professional tennis player from Kazakhstan who was born on June 17, 1999. She began playing tennis at the age of six and turned pro in 2016. Rybakina is known for her powerful serve and aggressive playing style, which has helped her climb the rankings in recent years.
In 2019, Rybakina made her Grand Slam debut at the Australian Open, where she reached the second round. She also reached the second round at the French Open and Wimbledon that year. She ended the season by winning her first WTA title at the Bucharest Open, defeating Patricia Maria Țig in the final.
Rybakina’s breakthrough year came in 2020, when she reached the final of the Dubai Tennis Championships, defeating several top-10 players along the way. She also reached the semifinals of the Premier Mandatory event in Cincinnati and the quarterfinals of the US Open.
In 2021, Rybakina won her second WTA title at the Hobart International, defeating Shuai Zhang in the final. She also reached the semifinals of the Adelaide International and the quarterfinals of the Australian Open.
As of September 2021, Rybakina has a career-high singles ranking of world No. 17 and has won two WTA singles titles and one doubles title. She is considered one of the rising stars of women’s tennis and is expected to achieve even greater success in the years to come.
Who is Jessica Pegula
Jessica Pegula is an American professional tennis player born on February 24, 1994, in Buffalo, New York. She is the daughter of Terry and Kim Pegula, who are the owners of the Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres professional sports teams.
Pegula began playing tennis at the age of three and turned pro in 2013. In 2019, she reached her first WTA singles final at the Citi Open in Washington, D.C., where she defeated four top-100 players, including two top-20 players, before losing to Camila Giorgi in the final.
In 2020, Pegula had a breakthrough season, reaching the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, where she defeated former world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki in the second round and former Australian Open champion Samantha Stosur in the third round. She also reached the final of the WTA tournament in Auckland, where she lost to Serena Williams in the final.
Pegula continued her strong play in 2021, reaching the quarterfinals of the Miami Open and the semifinals of the Italian Open. She also reached the fourth round of the US Open, where she defeated former Grand Slam champions Angelique Kerber and Bianca Andreescu before losing to fellow American Shelby Rogers.
As of September 2021, Pegula has a career-high singles ranking of world No. 23 and has won one WTA singles title. She is known for her powerful serve and aggressive playing style, and is considered one of the rising stars in women’s tennis.
Who is Anna Kalinskaya
Anna Kalinskaya is a professional tennis player from Russia who was born on December 2, 1998. She began playing tennis at the age of five and turned pro in 2014. Kalinskaya is known for her aggressive baseline play and has a powerful forehand.
In 2015, Kalinskaya made her Grand Slam debut at the US Open, where she reached the second round. The following year, she won her first professional title at the $10k tournament in Baku, Azerbaijan. She went on to win two more titles that year, including a $25k event in Santa Margherita di Pula, Italy.
In 2017, Kalinskaya won her first WTA doubles title at the Kremlin Cup in Moscow, partnering with Alla Kudryavtseva. She also reached the final of the $80k tournament in Trnava, Slovakia, losing to Tereza Martincova in the final.
Kalinskaya’s breakthrough year came in 2018, when she reached her first WTA singles final at the Moscow River Cup, where she defeated top-seeded player Daria Kasatkina in the semifinals before losing to Olga Danilović in the final. She also reached the semifinals of the $100k tournament in Saint Petersburg, Russia, and the quarterfinals of the $125k tournament in Indian Wells.
In 2019, Kalinskaya reached the second round of the US Open and won her second WTA doubles title at the China Open in Beijing, partnering with Viktória Kužmová.
As of September 2021, Kalinskaya has a career-high singles ranking of world No. 72 and has won one WTA singles title and two WTA doubles titles. She is considered a rising star in women’s tennis and is expected to continue to improve in the years to come.
Elena Rybakina is known for her powerful serve and aggressive playing style.
Rybakina turned professional in 2016.
As of September 2021, Rybakina has won two WTA singles titles and one doubles title.
Kalinskaya’s breakthrough year was in 2018, when she reached her first WTA singles final at the Moscow River Cup.
Kalinskaya has won one WTA singles title.
Kalinskaya’s career-high singles ranking is world No. 72 as of September 2021.