Pegula holds off Azarenka fightback to win

US Open 2025

Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York Dates: 24 August-7 September

Coverage: Live radio commentaries across 5 Live Sport and BBC Sounds, plus live text commentaries on the BBC Sport website & app

American Jessica Pegula had to dig deep to beat Victoria Azarenka in the US Open third round and keep alive her hopes of winning a career-first Grand Slam on home soil.

In a 6-1 7-5 victory, 2024 finalist Pegula cruised through the first set before former world number one Azarenka fought back valiantly despite struggling with a leg injury.

Meanwhile, Italian seventh seed Jasmine Paolini suffered a surprise 7-6 (7-4) 6-1 defeat by world number 60 Marketa Vondrousova.

Paolini was beaten in the finals of the French Open and Wimbledon last year, but has failed to progress beyond the fourth round at any Slam this year.

Pegula, who suffered a heartbreaking defeat by Aryna Sabalenka in last year's New York final, will face either her compatriot Ann Li or Australia's world number 126 Priscilla Hon in the fourth round.

"I just tried to focus on going back to my strategy, things that went well in the first set," said the 31-year-old when asked how she arrested her second-set slide.

"I thought I moved and scrambled really well, I wanted to make the match physical.

"My results haven't been too amazing the last couple of months, so to be able to turn it around was awesome."

The fourth seed produced three aces and 10 winners in an opening set in which Azarenka committed four double faults and won just 36% of her first serves.

Yet the 36-year-old two-time Grand Slam winner looked her old self in the second set, as she broke serve and then saved a break point to solidify her lead.

However, three consecutive breaks followed as mistakes crept into both players' games.

Azarenka saved three break points before Pegula converted the fourth, before the American made two glaring forehand misses after double-faulting to hand control back to the Belarusian.

The pendulum swung back in Pegula's favour one final time as she broke in the final game to claim a place in the last 16.

"Obviously she picked up her level in the second set and I just thought she started serving really well, she had a bunch of aces to get herself out of those return games, and she's always a great returner which puts the pressure on your first serves," Pegula said of Azarenka.

"We train together a lot in Florida, so we know each other's game really well. I could tell she was struggling a bit physically, so I wanted to keep her moving and play aggressive."