Jessica Pegula Dominates Masarova to Reach Italian Open Fourth Round Jessica Pegula advanced to the fourth round of the Italian Open for the first time since the tournament expanded in 2023, defeating Czech player Rebeka Masarova 6-0, 6-0. The victory marked a historic moment for Pegula, as it was the first time she had ever won a match on the WTA Tour with such a dominant scoreline. Additionally, Pegula maintained her perfect record in the last three sets she has played, going undefeated in that span. The match was a decisive display of Pegula’s form, with Masarova unable to mount a challenge. Pegula’s performance was particularly notable given the context of her previous encounters with opponents. She reflected on the psychological aspect of the scoreline, recalling comments from fellow player Taylor Fritz, who had previously expressed skepticism about winning a first set 6-0. Fritz had argued that such a scoreline could allow opponents to relax, while he would tighten his focus to avoid further losses. Pegula acknowledged Fritz’s influence, stating, “I was like, I lost the first set 6-0, I just always have in my head Taylor Fritz saying that it’s the kiss of death.” She clarified that Fritz’s perspective applied specifically to the men’s tour, noting that the same scoreline in a three-out-of-five set format was not considered a “kiss of death.” Pegula emphasized the mental discipline required to avoid complacency, acknowledging the unpredictability of clay-court matches. “I was thinking for sure don’t get complacent,” Pegula said in her post-match press conference. “You know things can change really quickly. Sometimes the player frees up, took a bathroom break. Can’t get any worse. That’s why I think it’s a hard thing. It doesn’t happen, like, super often.#jessica_pegula #taylor_fritz #coco_gauff #anastasia_potapova #rebeka_masarova
