Coco Gauff defeated Jessica Pegula in the quarterfinals of the 2023 Eastbourne International in a match of doubles partners.
The duo are very good friends and have been doubles partners ever since the younger American stopped playing with her friend Caty McNally. It was a practical move for the WTA star because McNally wasn't on the level to play every week in singles while Gauff wanted to. So she teamed up with a fellow American and they proved a really great doubles pairing winning trophies together but failing short of becoming No. 1 recently.
The singles matchup was a highly anticipated one because we've only seen it once so far. It was last year in Dubai and Pegula proved better. This time around it was Gauff who proved better as she played on a surface that probably suits her more than Pegula.
Gauff broke out on grass a few years ago when she beat Venus Williams as a 15-year-old but it was only at this year's event that she booked her second-ever quarter-final on grass. She's now in the semi-final after this win, a win that came easier than many thought.
Gauff broke Pegula early in the match taking a 2-0 lead but immediately dropped her serve to make it 2-2. She broke her again to take a 4-2 lead and from there it was a rather simple cruise towards a 6-3 finish.
Pegula stormed back in the second set taking a 3-0 lead with her tennis finally showing up. Unfortunately for her and the fans, it didn't last long as Gauff turned it around, quite literally. Six games after that game, the scoreboard said 6-3 for Gauff who turned it up out of nowhere.
It was just a very shaky performance from Pegula who didn't play that well and paid the price against the really solid Gauff. She is taking her own words quite seriously after an early exit in Berlin last week.
The final score was 6-3 6-3 for Gauff who will face another compatriot in the semi-final. She will face Madison Keys.
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