In a surprising turn of events at the National Bank Open in Montreal, two-time defending champion Jessica Pegula suffered a shocking defeat in the third round. She lost to Anastasija Sevastova, who came back from a set down to secure victory with a score of 3-6, 6-4, 6-1.
Sevastova, a 35-year-old Latvian player whose ranking has plummeted from 11th in 2018 to 386th, displayed remarkable resilience by breaking Pegula’s serve six times on ten opportunities. Reflecting on her performance, Sevastova mentioned her turnaround after initially falling behind 0-2 in the second set, stating, “Somehow, I was down 2-0 in the second set and started to play better and better. Third set, I played really good. Just trying to stay on the court as long as possible.”
This victory marks Sevastova as the lowest-ranked player to defeat a top-10 player since Angelique Kerber’s remarkable win over Jelena Ostapenko at Indian Wells last year. Notably, Sevastova has only played 24 WTA Tour-level matches over the past four years and entered the tournament using a protected ranking due to a knee injury.
Sevastova’s triumph serves as a testament to her tenacity and ability to stage a comeback, offering inspiration to those who may be facing their own challenges in sports or life. Her performance at this tournament illustrates that determination and perseverance can yield unexpected results, no matter the odds.