Jessica Pegula overcomes Ashley Weinhold in the second qualifier – Challenge Bell 2012
Seeded third in the draw, Jessica Pegula of USA, defeated her 321st ranked compatriot, Ashley Weinhold, in three sets 6-2, 1-6, 6-1 in the second round of the qualifying draw at the Challenge Bell in Quebec City on Sunday.
The better ranked American player, Pegula, needed one hour and 37 minutes to register this close win over her opponent.
Pegula attained lead from the beginning of the match, as she stung a break in the opening game and won her next serve to move ahead 2-0. The American contestant hit a blow to Weinhold again in the seventh and made the most of her
double advantage to win 6-2.
Ranked 165th in the world, Pegula smashed one ace and made two double faults, maintaining a first serve percentage of 58 and converting 14 of the 18 of them into points. The American player also fared above averagely
on the replies to her opponent’s deliveries, clinching nine of the 17 first and eight of the 17 second return points in the opener.
Pegula was looking to close out the match quickly, as she made a breakthrough in the very first game of the second set to take a 1-0 lead but Weinhold stunned her opponent and the spectators by her unbelievable performance later
on. The right-hander snatched six games in a row, breaking Pegula three times and holding her entire serves to complete a French set 6-1.
Weinhold did not hit even a single ace and committed one double fault in the second set. The 5ft 5in tall kept her first serve percentage at 75 and claimed 11 of the 18 points on them. The best part of Weinhold’s game was her near
flawless returns, as she bagged six of the 10 first and nine of the 12 second reply points in the second set.
The match score got tied at one set apiece, after both players thrashed each other one by one in the first two sets. The decider was expected to be a close one but it proved to be one sided in favour of Pegula. The 18-year-old
grabbed first five games to gain a 5-0 lead and did not allow her countrywoman to bounce back, closing it 6-1.
Pegula will face another American participant, Maria Sanchez, in the final qualifier. Sanchez fought back after losing the first set to beat the world number 458, Alexandra Mueller, in the second round of the qualifying stage.
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