Buffalo’s Jessica Pegula wins a WTA Finals match for first time

CANCUN, Mexico (AP) — Jessica Pegula extended her undefeated streak in 2023 to 48-0 in matches where she wins the first set. In a captivating display of tennis, Pegula rallied from behind, winning 10 of the last 12 games, to secure a 7-5, 6-2 victory over Elena Rybakina in the opening match of the round-robin singles competition at the prestigious WTA Finals on a blustery Sunday night.

Neither woman had tasted victory at the season-ending championships for the women’s tennis tour before this match. Pegula had disappointed with a winless record of 0-3 in last year’s tournament in Fort Worth, Texas, while Rybakina was making her debut appearance among the world’s top eight players.

The top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka, who fell short in the 2022 WTA Finals final against Caroline Garcia, showcased her dominance by capturing the first 11 games and overwhelming Maria Sakkari with a lopsided 6-0, 6-1 victory in the other singles match played on Sunday. Sabalenka is aiming to become the first player since Serena Williams in 2013-2014 to reach the final in consecutive years.

Sakkari, despite being ranked No. 9, made her way into the field in Cancun after French Open finalist Karolina Muchova, holding the No. 8 spot, withdrew due to a right wrist injury.

Pegula, currently positioned at No. 5 in the rankings, faced a break at 5-3 with Rybakina serving for the first set. However, Pegula bounced back, breaking Rybakina and winning four consecutive games to clinch the set. This displayed Pegula’s effectiveness when in the lead, a trait she has displayed throughout the year.

With this victory, Pegula secured her 42nd win on hard courts this season, maintaining her position as the leader among all players on the tour. The 29-year-old American, whose parents are the owners of the NFL’s Buffalo Bills and NHL’s Buffalo Sabres, continues to showcase her prowess on this surface.

Both Pegula and Rybakina finished the match with 12 winners each. However, the determining factor was the unforced errors, as Pegula committed just 16 compared to Rybakina’s 35.

Rybakina, ranked No. 4, previously tasted success by winning Wimbledon in 2022 and finishing as the runner-up to Sabalenka at this year’s Australian Open.

In September, the WTA announced its decision to hold this tournament in Cancun under a one-year agreement, raising concerns from players like Rybakina that the temporary court was not prepared for practice until too close to the start of the competition.

“This is something that I’m not happy with. I’m quite certain that the rest of the players feel the same,” expressed Sabalenka.

“It’s far from ideal. Normally, we would need three to four days to adapt to the conditions… I hope that the WTA will do a better job next year,” she added.