US Open: Jessica Pegula falls to fellow American Madison Keys in round of 16 while Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova comes back to defeat Peyton Stearns
- Madison Keys and Coco Gauff are the only American women left standing
- Jessica Pegula fell short of a final four run again while Peyton Stearns bowed out
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Two American women were eliminated in the US Open round of 16 on Monday, with Jessica Pegula and Peyton Stearns exiting the tournament.
No. 3 seed Jessica Pegula, the highest ranked American woman, was ousted by friend Madison Keys in straight sets 6-1, 6-3 in just over an hour.
Keys, the No. 17 seed and 2017 runner-up at Flushing Meadows, converted on 77 percent of her first-serve points and used powerful ground strokes to keep rallies short – a little over three strokes on average – to make quick work of her third-seeded opponent and close friend.
For Pegula, it marked yet another Grand Slam disappointment.
Jessica Pegula gestures after losing a point to Madison Keys during her loss on Monday
Keys converted on 77 percent of her first-serve points as she notched a comfortable win
She has advanced to the quarterfinals in each major tournament but has yet to reach the final four.
‘It’s always tough having to play a friend,’ said Keys, but, ‘at the end of the day we both want to win. We´re all business on the court.’
Keys’ quarterfinals opponent will be no. 9 seed Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic, who came back to beat unseeded American Peyton Stearns 6-7 (3), 6-3, 6-2 to keep her dream alive of a second straight Grand Slam title after winning Wimbledon in July.
‘I actually didn´t expect it after Wimby, there was a lot of pressure,’ Vondrousova said after the match.
‘Let´s see what happens next.’
Peyton Stearns won the first set but ultimately lost to Marketa Vondrousova, 6-7 (3), 6-3, 6-2
Vondrousova is the reigning Wimbledon champ and will face Keys in the quarterfinals
Among the remaining American players left is Coco Gauff – who will face no. 20 seed Jelena Ostapenko on Tuesday – Taylor Fritz, Frances Tiafoe, and Ben Shelton.
The latter two will play each other Tuesday following Shelton’s victory over fellow American Tommy Paul in the round of 16.
And Fritz will have the tough task of trying to eliminate three-time Open champion Novak Djokovic.