Jessica Pegula flies past Mayar Sherif to put bad form behind her at US Open

Jessica Pegula opened her 2025 US Open campaign with a straight-sets victory over Mayar Sherif, overcoming a tricky second set to book her place in the next round 6-0, 6-4 in just over one hour and 15 minutes

Returning to the US Open a year after reaching the final, she has won two matches in the past four events including a first round loss at Wimbledon as her form has well and truly deserted her. But returning with a bang and reflecting on her performance, Pegula admitted the nerves of an opening night match made her determined to start quickly. “I was really happy that I started off really quick,” she said on court. “Coming out for a second night match, waiting all day, opening day — it’s nerve-wracking. So I’m glad I came out really fast and gave myself a nice cushion, I guess you could say.”

However, the American acknowledged that her serve let her down as the match progressed. She got off to a blistering start winning the opening set 6-0 and in the second set, Sherif found her rhythm.

The Egyptian would've been thinking what could be as she managed to break and take a 4-1 lead. However Pegula regained focus and steel to win five games in a row and complete a 6-0, 6-4 win in one hour and 15 minutes. “It flipped really quickly, and I didn’t think I was serving very well. I wasn’t making enough first serves, and I felt like I could get back in the second. I just needed to focus on my serve, and I was getting close to breaking her a lot. So, yeah, I’m glad I was able to turn it around and get it done in straights.”

Pegula still has the belief despite recent form

Last year, Pegula reached her first major final, a breakthrough that gave her belief she can compete for the sport’s biggest titles. Still, she knows consistency is a constant challenge. “I had a lot of confidence, but tennis is funny. You have a couple bad results, and it’s tough — you start all over again,” she explained. “It’s always a new week, which makes it great, but it also makes it tough when you’re winning. If you lose for a few weeks, it feels like you don’t really get to celebrate the good weeks and the good tournaments that you’ve had.

“So it definitely gave me a lot of confidence that I know what I have to do to get there, but executing it is another thing. So I’m going to try to do that the best I can this week.”

Pegula is also part of a strong wave of American women pushing deep at majors, with four currently ranked inside the world’s top ten. For her, the shared success has been both motivating and supportive. “Oh, I love it. I love it so much,” she said with a smile. “A lot of the American girls, we’re all pretty close, and I think we’re always motivating and pushing each other. We’re on completely different journeys, different ages, and it’s just really cool to be a part of that, to be part of that really strong group of women.

“I think it makes it more fun. I think it takes pressure off us, and it helps that we all get along really well and we’re always pushing each other.”

Next up for Pegula is Anna Blinkova who defeated Yulliia Starodubtseva 6-4, 6-1 on Sunday. Jasmine Paolini also notably won through from this section seeing of Destanee Aiava in straight sets at the US Open in two matches that perhaps would've been earmarked for upset watch.