Jessica Pegula defeated McCartney Kessler-and herself-to win the Atx Open championship in single Sunday at the Westwood Country Club 7-5, 6-2.
Pegula, the upper seed, fought with the two hard blows of Kessler and a constant breeze throughout the first set but managed to remove it at the end. Then she intensified her game to move away from Kessler, seeded n ° 5, in the second set.
“It was definitely super windy and it was difficult,” said Pegula, “but I knew it was not only me frustrated. It was difficult to serve and do a lot of clumsy shots. I sort of trying to adapt, playing a little more in the middle and giving myself a little more margin where I could strike (entirely) but not to go there.”
Pegula takes advantage of errors
Kessler had his chances in the first set to make mistakes on points that could have changed the story. She overcome a deficit of 2-0 at the start to take an advance of 4-2 and had the chance to climb 5-3, but missed an easy volley after having had Pegula on the run. Pegula even took advantage of the whole.
With Pegula serving at 5-5, Kessler missed on two potential winners who could have provided a service break.
“At the end of the first set, I still had difficulties,” said Pegula. “It was ugly. It was a lot of back and forth and there was certainly a lot of points that she should probably win, but the conditions were really difficult. In a way, she exceeded a few shots and went too much. When this happens, you don’t ask AY questions and you just go “okay, well, I’m just going to try to use it to win this set.” Fortunately, I was able to do this.
After Pegula held to take an advance of 6-5, Kessler underwent a double defect on the plateau point to put an end to the whole.
Pegula thought before the match that the big Kessler blow could have trouble with his control during a windy day.
“She takes very big ball cuts,” said Pegula. “With its sale, I thought I could get some of these points. She goes a lot and when you play with the wind, these blows can really spray. It happened to me too.
Settle for the section
Although Kessler recovered to break Pegula to open the second set, the world’s world player quickly gathered, winning the next four games to take control and broke Kessler for the sixth time to close the match.
“I wanted to keep my foot on the gas,” said Pegula. “I felt like I had somewhat increased my level a little announcement that she did not do it, and you just try to travel this as long as possible. I was satisfied with the way I put my foot in the second set, whatever the conditions. »»
As she did throughout the tournament, Pegula took his game and closed the match in decisive fashion.
“I think everything has increased by about 5% in the second set,” said Pegula. “Once I felt that, I think I felt:” I had that “.”
And she did it.
Pegula has obtained his very necessary title
Pegula made no bone on her goal when she arrived in Austin. Without a title so far, she wanted to collect the pieces and win in Austin.
“I wanted to win this tournament with the fact that it was in the United States, but I was really happy with the way I took up different challenges,” said Pegula. “I think I beat pretty players, maybe not girls who are in the top 10.”
Pegula underlined the success that Kessler had this season, winning a WTA 250 event in Australia. She spoke of Ajla Tomljanovic, who plays her way in the ranking after having missed time with injuries, and the very competent Anna Blinka.
“I think I was proud of how I have managed each match,” said Pegula. “And yes, I really wanted it today.”
Some of this played against another American to Kessler.
“I feel like I’m going more by playing against an American,” said Pegula. “I always like to think that it’s always my field, especially with all young players. So I just tried to use my experience today.
Pegula broke the service of Kessler, 25 years old, 6 times in the match and won more than half of the points in Kessler’s service games.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Jessica Pegula wins the title in Simple 2025 Atx Open on McCartney Kessler
