French Open 2023: Elise Mertens causes huge upset with emphatic victory over Jessica Pegula

ByEurosport

Updated 02/06/2023 at 16:18 GMT

The shocks keep coming and they don't stop coming at the 2023 French Open. World No. 3 Jessica Pegula is the latest big name to crash out after she was beaten in straight sets by Belgian star Elise Mertens. Pegula started slowly and although she improved, she was unable to stop the momentum built up by her opponent, who makes it through to the fourth round.

Elise Mertens produced the biggest upset of the French Open women’s draw so far as she dismantled third seed Jessica Pegula with a 6-1 6-3 third-round victory.

Pegula had not played much in the previous round with her opponent, Camila Giorgi, having to retire after just one set.

The American was nevertheless the favourite after reaching the quarter-finals in four of the last five Grand Slams, including last year at Roland-Garros, but she was outclassed by Mertens on Court Philippe-Chatrier.

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The Belgian, seeded 28th in Paris, has matched her best-ever Paris campaign by reaching the fourth round, where she will face Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova or Anastasia Potapova.

"I am very happy to win in two sets. I thought I played well. I love playing on this amazing court," Mertens said.

"In the first set, I played well, and it was straightforward, but it was much tougher in the second, especially the game at 4-3. I was very happy to win that. I never knew how it could turn thereafter."

'She looked quite flat' – Wilander reacts to Mertens' upset win over Pegula

Mertens got off to a flying start by breaking Pegula at the first time of asking between two solid holds.

The Belgian made it a double-break to set alarm bells ringing for a potential upset, before holding to move a game away from the set.

Pegula eventually got on the board to avoid the bagel, but could not make any progress on Mertens’ serve as the 28th seed served out at the first time of asking to take the opener in 29 minutes.

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Mertens was dominant on serve in the first set, winning 91% of her first serve points, while she struck nine winners and kept her unforced error count down to four compared to Pegula’s eight.

'Very happy to win' – Mertens reacts shock victory over Pegula

The American needed an early hold in the second set to settle the nerves, but instead she put a tame backhand into the net on break point to surrender the advantage.

However, she broke straight back to cling on before putting a few games together as the set stayed on serve up to 3-3.

Mertens defeats Pegula to advance to fourth round of Roland Garros

Two unforced errors from Pegula gave Mertens two chances for a second break and she took the first thanks to another error from the American, before seeing off three break points in a 14-minute game to hold and go a step away from victory.

Mertens earned two match points on the Pegula serve but only needed one, as the world No. 3 put a forehand in the net on the run to end her resistance – and hopes of a maiden Slam title.

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