MELBOURNE: Jessica Pegula knocked podcast pal and defending champion Madison Keys out of the Australian Open on Monday and moved into a quarterfinal against Amanda Anisimova, another all-American match.
Their fourth-round wins on Day 9 meant four Americans reached the women’s singles quarterfinals in Australia for the first time since 2001, when Serena and Venus Williams, Jennifer Capriati, Monica Seles and Lindsay Davenport made it to the last 8.
“Sucks that one American has to go out in the quarterfinals,” Anisimova said.
Pegula had a slightly different view: “At least one of us will get through, and I think that’s great for American tennis. Yeah, it’s been pretty crazy how well the women have been doing and how many top-ranked girls there are,” she added. “I’m just happy to be a part of that conversation.”
Pegula and Anisimova advanced a day after No. 3 Coco Gauff and 18-year-old Iva Jovic earned their places on the other side of the draw.
Pegula’s 6-3, 6-4 win at Rod Laver Arena ended Keys’ first Grand Slam title defense in a tough section of the draw.
Anisimova, runner-up at the last two majors in Wimbledon and the US Open, advanced 7-6 (4), 6-4 over Wang Xinyu as the temperature started rising at Melbourne Park, and organizers triggered the heat stress policy which allowed for extra cooling breaks.
Pegula is into the quarterfinals for the fourth time in Australia but has never previously gone beyond that round at the season-opening major.
Pegula and Keys had played three times previously, and Keys had won the last two. But on Monday it was Pegula who dominated, racing to 4-1 leads in both sets.
Pegula’s best performance in a major was making the US Open final in 2024, where she lost to Aryna Sabalenka. The top-ranked Sabalenka is aiming for a third title in four years.
No. 5 Elena Rybakina, the runner-up to Sabalenka here in 2023, advanced over Elise Mertens 6-1, 6-3.
Jannik Sinner wasn’t shaky or lucky to survive this time and the only thing really hot on Monday was his streak, which now stands at 18 straight wins at the Australian Open.
The two-time defending champion had a 6-1, 6-3, 7-6 (2) win over fellow Italian Luciano Darderi to reach the quarterfinals for a ninth consecutive Grand Slam event.
Sinner struggled two days previously with the extreme heat and cramping in the afternoon win over No. 85-ranked Eliot Spizzirri, when he only took control after the roof was closed.
In an evening match in cooler conditions, Sinner was cruising until Darderi lifted his tempo in the third set. Second-ranked Sinner missed match points in the 10th game on Darderi’s serve but then took it up a notch in the tiebreaker.
“I felt quite good out there physically. Everything was okay,” said Sinner, who had limited practice on his off day between his third and fourth-round matches. “Let’s see what’s coming in the next round.”
It’ll be a familiar foe. No. 8-seeded Ben Shelton beat No. 12 Casper Ruud 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 in a night match on Rod Laver Arena.
Sinner has won his last eight meetings with the 23-year-old American, including their semifinal here last year.