Townsend Dominates Kenin, advances to Quarterfinals; Pegula Upset by Fernandez
In a stunning display of power adn precision, Taylor Townsend has stormed into the quarterfinals of the tournament, dismantling American compatriot Sofia Kenin in a match that concluded in under an hour. Townsend’s performance was highlighted by an remarkable 15 aces across just eight service games, a testament to her aggressive play.
Meanwhile, the top-seeded American, Jessica Pegula, was eliminated from the singles competition in a hard-fought three-set battle against Canada’s Leylah Fernandez. The match, lasting 2 hours and 19 minutes, saw Fernandez emerge victorious with a 6-3, 1-6, 7-5 scoreline. despite hitting nine double faults, Fernandez managed five aces and crucially converted two of her five break point opportunities in the final set to secure the upset.Pegula, who recorded two aces and three breaks, was ultimately undone by four double faults and Fernandez’s late surge.
Townsend and Fernandez are now set to face each other in the quarterfinals, marking their first encounter of the season. Fernandez will be looking to achieve her first three-match winning streak of 2025.
Townsend’s week has been nothing short of remarkable.Currently ranked No. 97 in the PIF WTA Rankings, she has maintained a perfect record in singles, winning all four sets played. In addition to her singles success, Townsend has also reached the doubles semifinals with her new partner, Zhang Shuai. A victory in her upcoming doubles match will propel her to the No. 1 doubles ranking, surpassing her usual partner, Katerina Siniakova.
Reflecting on her performance, Townsend expressed her determination to rebound from a disappointing Wimbledon. “I was really disappointed with the way I played in Wimbledon,” she stated.”for me today, I wanted to do something different. I wanted to show up better than I did. The decision that I made in my mind.”
The match against Kenin was played under challenging conditions of heat and humidity, but Townsend proved to be the hotter player. She set the tone early, winning the first game at love with three unreturned serves, including two aces. Her dominance continued, with three more aces in the fifth game and a remarkable four aces in the seventh game, followed by a break of Kenin and serving out the set with aces No. 10, No. 11, and No. 12.
Townsend has overcome notable adversity this year,battling a concussion and an undisclosed ankle injury. “So many things have put me in a position to say, ‘Why me?'” she shared. “I’m just grateful to be out here.”
Kenin, ranked No. 26, was aiming for her fourth quarterfinal appearance.The former World No. 4, who won the Australian Open in 2020 and reached the Roland Garros final at 21, has faced a series of setbacks, including a five-month layoff in 2022 due to an ankle injury. She arrived in the nation’s capital ranked No. 416 and had recently lost seven consecutive matches before her first-round win. “I didn’t have doubts, but obviously mentally it’s not the most easy,” Kenin commented earlier in the week. “I don’t want to go back there again.”
After a final point that earned her a prolonged standing ovation from the crowd, Townsend celebrated with a happy dance, clearly relishing her current success.
