Despite holding the 58th spot in the world rankings, Li presented a challenge, having achieved the second-highest number of aces, totaling 22, in her initial three tournament appearances.
The 25-year-old exhibited assurance, opting to initiate the match with a serve after the coin toss, only to have Pegula immediately seize the advantage with a break.
Li demonstrated improvement following an initial set characterized by 10 unforced errors and a mere 8% success rate on her second serves, yet Pegula seemed to escalate her performance concurrently.
Pegula maintained her customary strength along the baseline while also deliberately advancing towards the net. Conversely, Li generally remained positioned far back, engaging in a fruitless endeavor to match Pegula’s forceful shots.
“I felt notably at ease advancing forward today and selecting opportune moments to approach; the sensation isn’t always so positive, but the match began favorably, and I aimed to sustain that execution until the final game,” Pegula stated.
“It constitutes an element of my gameplay that I can genuinely leverage as a potent asset. Occasionally, I find myself rooted at the back due to my proficiency there, but we’ve dedicated considerable effort to refining that aspect, and my coaches express satisfaction when I conclude points with overhead smashes and volleys at the net.”
In the subsequent quarter-finals, Pegula is slated to encounter either Barbora Krejcikova, currently ranked 62nd globally, or her fellow countrywoman, Taylor Townsend, who notably eliminated former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko and world number five Mirra Andreeva without relinquishing a single set.
