"What a match" - Eugenie Bouchard applauds Jessica Pegula and Petra Kvitova for thrilling fourth-round contest at Indian Wells
Jessica Pegula and Petra Kvitova played out one of the best matches of the tournament in the fourth round at Indian Wells on Tuesday, earning applause from Eugenie Bouchard for the same. Kvitova edged third seed Pegula 6-2, 3-6, 7-6(11), converting her fourth match point after saving four match points herself.
Kvitova sealed victory with a masterful serve and volley winner in the deciding set tiebreaker, during which she mounted multiple comebacks from the brink with some incredible shots. The Czech tennis star reached her 35th WTA 1000 quarterfinal, becoming only the fourth player to do so, and also made it into her first Indian Wells quarterfinal since 2016.
It was experience that made the eventual difference in the end for Kvitova, who fended off a spirited fight from Pegula after the American No. 1 went a set down. Among those who thoroughly enjoyed the thrilling contest was Bouchard, who recognized the efforts of both players.
"What a match, both ladies," Eugenie Bouchard wrote on her Instagram stories, for Pegula and Kvitova.
Bouchard last competed at the Australian Open, where she lost in the opening round of qualifying.
Meanwhile, with Tuesday's win, 15th seed Kvitova has set up another potential thriller in the quarterfinals, where she will take on 7th seed Maria Sakkari.
"I was like just somebody end it" - Jessica Pegula jokes with Petra Kvitova after Indian Wells thriller
Despite a grueling contest that ended in heartbreak with four match points gone to waste, Jessica Pegula saw the lighter side of it all as she greeted Petra Kvitova at the net after their match. Kvitova acknowledged Pegula's efforts and the American congratulated the Czech for the win, while Pegula also joked that she was desperately hoping for the match to end during the intense deciding set tiebreak.
"I was like just somebody end it," Jessica Pegula conveyed to Kvitova as they shared laughs.
simply stunning tennis 🤩
@Petra_Kvitova keeps Pegula at bay and takes the final set to secure her place back in the quarterfinals!
#TennisParadise https://t.co/8jabw9DQHt
Pegula will now shift her focus entirely towards the Miami Open after her and Coco Gauff's Indian Wells doubles campaign also ended in the Round of 16 with a 4-6, 6-4, 12-10 loss to Miyu Kato and Aldila Sutjiadi. Pegula was third time unlucky on Tuesday as she failed to win her third consecutive match from a set down, having beaten Camila Giorgi and Anastasia Potapova in the previous rounds.