World number four Jessica Pegula of the United States was defeated by Belgium`s Elise Mertens, ranked 24th, in the third round of the WTA tournament in Rome. Mertens secured the win with a score of 7-5, 6-1.
The match lasted 1 hour and 25 minutes. Following this result, Mertens extends her lead in their head-to-head encounters, now standing at 4-1.
Match Statistics:
| Pegula | Mertens | |
|---|---|---|
| Aces | 0 | 4 |
| Double Faults | 3 | 1 |
| Breaks | 1 | 4 |
| Total Points Won | 50 | 70 |
This victory marked the first time Mertens had defeated a Top 10 player since the 2023 Roland Garros. It also snapped a streak of 14 consecutive losses against opponents ranked within the top 10.
Mertens will face Russia`s Diana Shnaider in the next round in Rome.
