Jessica Pegula, the defending champion and top seed, endured a grueling three-hour contest to secure a 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 win over Yulia Putintseva at the WTA Charleston Open on Wednesday. Pegula, ranked world No. 5, recovered after losing the first set and falling 0-2 in the final set before mounting a determined comeback.
The American highlighted the challenges of Charleston's green clay, noting that the breezy conditions and tricky shadows made it difficult to handle Putintseva’s high, looping shots.
“She’s a really tricky opponent,” Pegula said, emphasizing her opponent’s ability to mix high balls, slices, drop shots, and other crafty plays, which forced Pegula to fight hard throughout the match.
Pegula, who received a first-round bye, admitted she had to regroup after being broken while serving for the match at 5-4 but managed to break back and close out the win. She is now pursuing her second title of the year following her triumph in Dubai in February.
Meanwhile, second-seeded athlete","Ekaterina Alexandrova","Russian tennis player"] withdrew from the tournament due to a minor injury, with Ekaterine Gorgodze.
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