Australian Open: Madison Keys, Jessica Pegula Advance in All-American Second Round Showdowns
Defending champion Keys overcomes Krueger in straight sets, while Pegula beats doubles partner Kessler to reach third round
Australia, Jan 22 : Defending champion Madison Keys showcased her experience and resilience to defeat Ashlyn Krueger 6-1, 7-5 in an all American second round clash at the Australian Open. The No. 9 seed dominated the first set but faced a stern test in the second, rallying from 5-2 down and saving a set point in the ninth game before sealing victory in 1 hour and 13 minutes.
“I was fully expecting her to raise her level, which she did. I just wanted to fight back, even if I lost the set, and regain momentum,” Keys told WTA.
Later on Thursday, No. 6 seed Jessica Pegula also advanced to the third round after defeating doubles partner McCartney Kessler 6-0, 6-2 at Rod Laver Arena. Despite a brief medical time out by Kessler in the second set, Pegula maintained her composure and finished the match in 58 minutes.
“We joked about pairing for doubles, and instead we ended up facing each other in singles. She’s a great competitor, and it was a fun challenge,” Pegula said.
