Pegula submits Starodubtseva 6-2, 6-2 to win the Charleston Open Championship
Jessica Pegula of Buffalo, NYwas the top seed and defending champion at the Credit One Charleston Open, a WTA 500 clay court event. the world #5 has gone the distance in every round, challenging her stamina and endurance.
Yuliia Starodubtseva, in the debut of the tournament, lost a set on the way to the final and in the previous round, sent the former world #5 AND 2019 Charleston Open champion Madison Keys. The twenty-six-year-old from Ukraine is currently ranked #89was competing in the final of her first tournament and against Pegula for the first time.
The American won the shot and elected to take. Starodbutseva opened with a backhand shot and an ace up the tee and held 30 while Pegula hit two straight winners and held on 15 to level.
Starodbutseva lost 3/5 serves initially but is easily maintained 15and the reigning champion responded in kind, holding on for him 15 with a fantastic transverse background. The Ukrainian opened the fifth with two straight ground winners, but dropped serve with three errors after deep returns.
Maxwell VittorioZUMA Press Wire / Shutterstock Editorial / Profimedia
Pegula lost 4/5 serves initially but is easily maintained 15 to consolidate the break for 4-2. Starodbutseva opened the seventh with a monster serve to the tee, but dropped serve after three consecutive unforced errors. the world #5 the young serve hit two aces and sealed the set when her opponent hit a forehand.
Starodbutseva served first in the second, and though she did 5/6 first serves, she was broken after three consecutive backhand errors. Pegula struggled in her opening service game, facing two deuces and two break points before consolidating the break for 2-0.
The Ukrainian lost three first serves in a row, including a double fault, and broke serve with a bad forehand. Pegula playing with poise and purpose held at love with a blistering forehand down the line to consolidate the break for 4-0.
Starodbutseva lost 3/5 first serve and serve thrown after another forehand error and a forehand winner from her opponent. Pegula served the championship with a commanding lead.
As she reached match point in 40-30 and created two more, she failed to convert as her opponent increased the aggression. Starodbutseva won four break points and converted when the top seed missed a backhand. Starodbutseva lost four first serves in a row but with three spectacular winners, including a forehand down the line, consolidated the break for 2-5.
Pegula once again served for the match and this time secured the win. She opened with a backhand winner and converted her fourth match point when her opponent miscued a return.
During her recent press conference, I asked what was the biggest challenge Starodubtseva posed and how she was neutralized. She replied: “Yeah. I think she really wants to dictate with her forehand. I think I had to attack her second serve and take a risk there, especially on clay. I think she likes to set her forehand with her serve. So I wanted to take that pattern away as much as I could. And, actually, yeah, I thought I played too smart for her, but I hit too smart for her. corner him and make him have to maybe do a lot.”
It was a dominant performance from the American, who has surpassed the world #1 Aryna Sabalenka in match wins this season with twenty four. Pegula, with her second title of the season (Dubai), heads to Europe with a clay court title and a ton of confidence as she makes her way to Roland Garros.
