Sevastova Upsets Pegula, Sets Up Osaka Clash; Swiatek Cruises at Canadian Open

Khabor Wala Desk

Published: 2nd August 2025, 3:32 PM

Sevastova Upsets Pegula, Sets Up Osaka Clash; Swiatek Cruises at Canadian Open

Photo: Collected

Anastasija Sevastova produced a major upset at the WTA Canadian Open on Friday, defeating two-time defending champion Jessica Pegula 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 to secure a place in the fourth round against Naomi Osaka.

Match Highlights

Match	Result	Notable Points
Sevastova vs Pegula	3-6, 6-4, 6-1	Sevastova ends Pegula’s 11-match Canada win streak
Osaka vs Ostapenko	6-2, 6-4	Osaka inches closer to first WTA 1000 quarter-final since maternity return
Swiatek vs Lys	6-2, 6-2	Swiatek cruises in first tournament post-Wimbledon win
Keys vs McNally	2-6, 6-3, 6-3	Keys to face Muchova next
Muchova vs Bencic	6-7(2), 6-2, 6-3	Muchova stages comeback victory

Sevastova’s Stunning Comeback

Current Rank: 386 (Former World No. 11)
Comeback Trail: Returned to professional tennis in February 2024 following maternity leave
Match Analysis:
- Pegula took the first set with dominant breaks.
- Sevastova rallied from 0-2 in the second set, breaking Pegula for a 5-4 lead and held off three break points to level the match.
- In the final set, Sevastova surged ahead 4-1 and maintained momentum to seal the match.

“Third set I played really good. Just trying to stay on the court as long as possible,” – Sevastova

Pegula Reflects on Collapse

Jessica Pegula, who was the first woman to win consecutive Canadian Open titles since Martina Hingis (1999–2000), lamented her sudden drop in performance:

“I felt like I had total control… and then I just played a couple of terrible games… I don’t really feel like I’m playing great tennis.”

Pegula has faced a slump recently, with early exits at both Wimbledon and Washington.

Osaka’s Solid Progress

Current Rank: 49
Comeback Note: Yet to reach a WTA 1000 or Grand Slam quarter-final since return
Match Breakdown:
- Took the first set in just 30 minutes, breaking on a double fault.
- Went 3-1 up in the second but was broken at 5-3 by a sharp Ostapenko return.
- Osaka responded immediately, breaking at love to seal the win.

“I just tried to keep my pace and stay as solid as I could,” – Osaka

Swiatek’s Winning Start

World No. 2 Iga Swiatek, fresh off her Wimbledon title, displayed commanding form against Germany’s Eva Lys, dispatching her 6-2, 6-2 to enter the fourth round.

Next Opponent: Clara Tauson (Defeated Yuliia Starodubtseva 6-3, 6-0)

With the elimination of Pegula, the draw has opened up significantly, offering a potential breakthrough moment for returning mothers Osaka and Sevastova, as well as for top seed Swiatek to capitalise on her momentum.