Jessica Pegula ousts Petra Kvitova to reach first US Open quarterfinal

NEW YORK — Jessica Pegula eliminated two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova 6-3, 6-2 to get to her third major quarterfinal of 2022 and reach that round for the first time at the US Open.

Play was held up for about 45 minutes at 1-1 in the first set while rain fell at Flushing Meadows. There is a retractable roof at Arthur Ashe Stadium, but it wasn't closed until after a downpour soaked the court.

The U.S. Tennis Association said in a statement that its «weather team» told US Open organizers there was no rain expected. The statement added: «Unfortunately, a pop-up sunshower occurred.»

The No. 8-seeded Pegula is the highest-ranked American woman and the only player in the top 10 in both singles and doubles.

She reeled off the last three games of Monday's opening set, which ended with a double fault by No. 21 Kvitova, and then the last six games of the fourth-round match after trailing 2-0 in the second set.

Pegula is a 28-year-old who was born in New York. Her parents own the NFL's Buffalo Bills and NHL's Buffalo Sabres.

She is 0-3 in Grand Slam quarterfinals so far, including losses at that stage at the Australian Open in January and the French Open in June. The loss in Paris came against No. 1-ranked Iga Swiatek, who could be Pegula's next opponent at Flushing Meadows.