MATCH REPORT | 2024 Adelaide International: Jessica PEGULA defies resurgent Anastasia PAVLYUCHENKOVA to reach semi-finals

Jessica Pegula has taken her place in the semi-finals of the 2024 Adelaide International albeit not without a scare as she took down Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-7, 7-5, 6-4 in just under two and a half hours.

Pegula who technically starts her season after United Cup duty this week in Adelaide saw off Bernarda Pera also in three sets yesterday and it was the same kind of tough gruelling start for the second seed in Adelaide as she made it through to the latter stages.

Albeit in a tough assignment with Pavlyuchenkova back into the top 50 next week and rising again after injury struggles following her Roland Garros final run. Pegula broke first in the contest but Pavlyuchenkova turned the tables to make it 2-2 after the American spurned points to go 3-1 up and there was no further chances from there aside from one point on the Pegula serve so it went to a tiebreak with fairly academic service holds.

But Pavlyuchenkova blew Pegula away in the tie-break, only losing a point to make it 1-1. She won it 7-1 and dealt an early blow to the American. They exchanged breaks of serve to begin set two with Pavlyuchenkova also having chances to go 3-2 up but Pegula edged forward and broke at the last moment emphatically to make it 7-5 and go one set away.

She went 3-1 up in the final set but Pavlyuchenkova hit back to make it a nervy ending. But again, she produced an emphatic break in the final game to conclude the tie and avert the scare. Next up is Daria Kasatkina who benefited from a walkover from Laura Siegemund earlier today.