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Dubai Duty Free Tennis: How Jessica Pegula rose to the top of women's game

Ranked 125th at the end of 2018, Pegula improved to 76th in 2019, 62nd in 2020, 18th in 2021 and third at the end of last year

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Riding an enormous amount of self-belief, Jessica Pegula is trending in the right direction.

The 29-year-old American, who has improved every year on the WTA to reach her current No3 ranking, began her campaign in the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship with a hard-fought second-round win against Bulgarian qualifier Viktoriya Tomova.

Pegula was stretched to three sets, before securing her spot in the third round with 6-2, 5-7, 6-1 win in two hours and five minutes.

After a fairly one-sided first set, the off-pace changes of direction and some creative shot selection by Tomova began to have an impact, eliciting uncharacteristic errors from Pegula.

The world No 99 built a 5-1 lead in the second set, but Pegula fought her way back to 5-5 before losing 5-7.

“It was a roller coaster kind of match. I started off playing okay, but then I didn’t think she was playing very well. When she started putting balls in the court, it switched the match. I thought she found her rhythm,” said Pegula.

“At the beginning of the second, she seemed kind of frustrated. I didn’t hold that 2-1 game and the momentum just kind of shifted. She kind of freed up a bit.

“Then it got pretty physical, as well, the second set. Just happy that I was able to kind of find my form in the third from the beginning and win the match.”

Ranked 125th at the end of 2018, Pegula improved to 76th in 2019, 62nd in 2020, 18th in 2021 and third at the end of last year.

The winner of WTA 1000 title in Guadalajara last year, she now believes that she belongs among the elite in the women’s game.

“Yeah, I am. I think I believe it. I think I have to, because that’s what I’m doing,” she said.

“I think maybe at the end of last year, it was kind of this weird feeling. I think going into Australia, winning United Cup, doing well last week (in Qatar), I’m just solidifying more and more what I can do.

“Obviously, every week is different. But, I think I've definitely earned that (position) and I believe it much more than I did maybe last year when it was kind of more of a new feeling.”

Pegula lost the final in Doha to the world No1 Iga Swiatek last week, and she is hoping to get even with a good performance in Dubai.

“I do get mad after losing sometimes. But I think last week, I thought Iga just played very well. She’s playing at a really high level. I wasn’t trying to be too upset. I didn’t really have much time to be upset. I had a quick turnaround, which helps,” she added.

“I think, at least this week, I don’t think I took any kind of anger into that match today.”

“I just want to keep pushing… keep pushing to go as far as I can every single week, win more tournaments. That’s the goal.”

Pegula will play her third-round match against Ana Bogdan of Romania.

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