E-Paper
Jessica Pegula halts Madison Keys’ title defence with commanding fourth-round win at Australian Open
Jessica Pegula will play either another American, the fourth seed Amanda Anisimova, or China's unseeded Wang Xinyu in the quarterfinal.
Defending champion Madison Keys’ Australian Open title defence came to a swift end on Sunday as she fell to good friend and podcast co-host Jessica Pegula in the fourth round. Pegula produced a clinical, no-nonsense show on Rod Laver Arena to secure a straight-sets 6-3, 6-4 victory, never allowing her compatriot to settle into her rhythm.
Neither player had dropped a set in their opening three matches, but it was an aggressive Pegula that exposed Keys' underlying issues as she breezed to a 3-0 lead and then swapped breaks with Keys, before taking the opening set in only 31 minutes.
Ninth seed Keys came out swinging in the second set, but was broken in the opening game as Pegula surged ahead. The defending champion threatened a comeback when she broke back and then held serve to make it 4-3. But the fightback lasted only a while as Pegula broke straight back yet again to seal the victory.
One of the key factors behind Pegula's win was her ability to blunt Keys' primary weapon. The No. 6 seed, who improved to 8–2 in Grand Slam fourth-round matches, returned more than 70 per cent of Keys' serve and committed just 13 unforced errors while hitting 14 winners, compared to 28 unforced errors from the 2025 champion.
With the win, the 2024 US Open finalist also improved her record against fellow Americans. Since losing to Keys in the Round of 16 at the 2023 US Open, Pegula is 28-3 against her compatriots.
Pegula will play either another American, the fourth seed Amanda Anisimova, or China's unseeded Wang Xinyu in the quarterfinal.
Also in the women's draw in the fourth round, fifth seed Elena Rybakina plays 21st seed Elise Mertens and second seed Iga Swiatek will be heavy favourite against Maddison Inglis.
The Australian qualifier, ranked 168, who will feature on Rod Laver Arena in the biggest match of her life, was given free passage into round four when two-time Melbourne champion Naomi Osaka pulled out injured.
