The misses soon piled up for Collins, who ended the match with 55 unforced errors against 33 winners. Though Pegula only managed nine winners herself, she stepped up on subsequent return games to convert five break points and run away with the match.
“I tried to mix it up a little bit, throw in some slices and drop shots when I could. Her backhand is probably one of the best on tour, so I was like, ‘Maybe stop hitting to the backhand as much. That would probably help,’” she said, only half-kidding on court with announcer Andrew Krasny.
“That, and just smart serving, because she was returning unbelievably, hitting winner, winner, winner off my serve. I had to figure out a way to get my placement just a bit better.”
One of five American women to reach the quarterfinals, Pegula’s win keeps hopes of an all-American Charleston final alive, with another all-American quarterfinal to come later today between No. 4 seed Emma Navarro and No. 8 seed Amanda Anisimova. Former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin rounds out the U.S. contingent; she’ll take on No. 14 seed Anna Kalinskaya, who stunned reigning Aussie Open champ Madison Keys yesterday.
