By Canadian Press

Defending champ Jessica Pegula advances to the quarterfinals at National Bank Open

Aug 9, 2024 | 2:52 PM

TORONTO — Jessica Pegula remains on track at the National Bank Open.

Last year’s winner defeated American qualifier Ashlyn Krueger 6-2, 6-4 on Friday to advance to the quarterfinals at the Canadian tennis championship.

Pegula, a 30-year-old from Buffalo, N.Y., was the beneficiary of nine double faults in a performance that saw her at times struggle with the conditions inside a windy Sobeys Stadium.

The No. 3 seed in 2024 topped Russia’s Liudmila Samsonova in last year’s final in Montreal after also making the semis in both 2021 and 2022.

The 20-year-old Krueger upset No. 15 seed Leylah Fernandez of Laval, Que., on Thursday to eliminate the last remaining Canadian singles player in the draw — both in Toronto and at the men’s event in Montreal.

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In other early matches, Taylor Townsend of the U.S. upset No. 4 Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia 6-2, 6-1 and No. 8 Emma Navarro of the U.S. beat No. 11 Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine 7-5, 7-5.

Amanda Anisimova of the U.S. also advanced as part of a hearty American quarterfinal contingent after No. 10 Anna Kalinskaya of Russia retired because of dizziness. Anisimova took the first set 6-2.

Krueger’s serve gave Fernandez fits Thursday, but she fired just two aces against Pegula less than 24 hours later.

Krueger double-faulted up 4-3 in the second set to gift Pegula a break before sending her return wide in the next game for a 5-4 deficit.

Pegula, who won doubles in Toronto with Gauff two years ago, then clinched the match on a shot that clipped the net before she raised a hand in acknowledgment and hugged her compatriot.

Pegula improved to 3-0 against Krueger after also topping the Dallas native 6-0, 6-2 at Wimbledon last month. She also downed Czechia’s Karolina Pliskova in straight sets to open her NBO title defence Wednesday.

Coming off a second-round showing at the Paris Olympics, Pegula improved to 14-2 all-time at Canada’s title event.

Townsend’s unlikely run continued after she made the women’s bracket as an injury replacement before No. 16 seed Dayana Yastremska retired in the second set of their match Tuesday.

The 71st-ranked American then steamrolled Marina Stakusic of Mississauga, Ont., by a count of 6-0, 6-2 on Thursday.

Top seed Coco Gauff of the U.S. was scheduled to take on No. 14 Diana Shnaider of Russia in Friday’s evening session, while No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus took on Great Britain’s Katie Boulter.

Ottawa’s Gabriela Dabrowski and partner Erin Routliffe of New Zealand were slated to hit the doubles court for their first action in Toronto this year later Friday.

Dabrowski is coming off an Olympic bronze alongside Montreal’s Felix Auger-Aliassime to end Canada’s 24-year medal drought in tennis at the Games.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 9, 2024.

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Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press