Jessica Pegula Demolishes Ann Li In Fourth Round

Jessica Pegula didn’t just win on Sunday at Arthur Ashe Stadium—she delivered a tennis clinic that had Ann Li looking like she’d rather be anywhere else on planet Earth. The world No. 4 American absolutely steamrolled her compatriot 6-1, 6-2 in a match that lasted just 54 minutes, which is barely enough time to grab a decent hot dog at Flushing Meadows.

Talk about making a statement. Pegula wrapped up the beatdown with a forehand winner down the line that she celebrated with a victory yell that probably rattled the windows in Queens. And honestly, who could blame her? This was the kind of dominant performance that makes you remember why she’s sitting pretty at No. 4 in the world.

Pegula’s Quarterfinal Breakthrough Continues Historic Run

The reigning U.S. Open women’s singles finalist has officially punched her ticket to Tuesday’s quarterfinals, where she’ll face either Taylor Townsend or Czech star Barbora Krejčíková. But here’s the kicker—this wasn’t always easy territory for Pegula. Before her magical run to last year’s final, she was a brutal 0-6 in Grand Slam quarterfinals. Talk about breaking through when it matters most.

“I felt really comfortable today,” Pegula said courtside, probably still catching her breath from that dominant display. “I felt like I was seeing the ball at the right times. It doesn’t always feel that good, but today I started off really well and just wanted to keep executing until the very last game.”

The Numbers Don’t Lie: Pegula’s Dominance Was Total

Let’s talk about just how thorough this demolition was. In the first set alone, which lasted a mere 25 minutes, Pegula lost exactly one point when returning Li’s second serve. One. Point. That’s the kind of stat that makes tennis nerds weep tears of joy.

The crowd was loving every minute of it too, with “Let’s go Jessie!” chants breaking out when Li’s backhand slice found the net to give Pegula the early break. From there, it was all Buffalo’s finest. Pegula was absolutely clinical at the net, winning an impressive 12 of 15 net points while capturing 85 percent of points on her first serve. She racked up two aces and 12 winners against just 12 unforced errors, while Li struggled with 19 unforced errors of her own.

Arthur Ashe Stadium: Pegula’s Home Court Advantage

Here’s where it gets interesting from a psychological standpoint. While both players are American, this was Li’s debut on the U.S. Open’s biggest stage. Meanwhile, Pegula has basically turned Arthur Ashe Stadium into her personal tennis court over the years.

“I’ve obviously kind of earned that right over the years,” Pegula said. “When I was younger, I never hit on Ashe, I never played on Ashe. I was always on another court, Court 17 or maybe Grandstand if I was lucky. That’s definitely changed.”

The home-court advantage was real, and Li felt it from the opening game. “When she is serving really well and she has confidence, she is really dangerous,” Pegula said of her opponent. “I felt like maybe she came out a little slow or nervous or whatever it was, and I just wanted to jump on top of that and not let her feel comfortable on this court for a second.”

The Road Ahead: Chasing Another Final

Now Pegula has her sights set on matching last year’s incredible run to the final, where she fell to world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in a heartbreaker, 7-5, 7-5. The good news? This version of Pegula looks even more focused and dangerous than the one that captured America’s hearts 12 months ago.

She’s now won 23 of her past 25 matches against fellow Americans and boasts a rock-solid 8-2 record in fourth-round Grand Slam matches. Plus, she’s riding a 15-match winning streak against players ranked outside the Top 50 at the U.S. Open—a streak that dates back six years to a loss against Alize Cornet.

With both of her coaches, Mark Knowles and Mark Merklein, in her corner for this tournament (they usually split duties), Pegula has the full team approach working in her favor. They’ve been pushing for more aggressive net play, and Sunday’s performance showed she’s listening.