Leylah Fernandez wins over world rank Number 4 Jessica Pegula 6–3, 1–6, 7–5 at the Citi Open. Catch up with the details of the match stats, Pegula’s season context, Fernandez’s resurgence, tournament outlook and where to catch the action next.
🌟 Citi Open Tournament Overview
The Mubadala Citi DC Open continues its hard-court tradition in Washington, D.C. a WTA 500 event featuring top talent. Paula Badosa who is The Defending champion withdrew this year altering the draw before game began.
Top Player Pegula entered as strong Fan favorite while Canada’s Fernandez who is a former U.S. Open finalist, quietly built momentum through early rounds.
🎯 Fernandez Knocks Out Pegula
Fernandez stunned Pegula in Round of 16 with a tight 6–3, 1–6, 7–5 victory lasting 2 hours and 19 minutes .
Key stats included:
- Fernandez: Leylah earned 5 aces, 9 double faults, 3/5 break point conversions.
- Pegula: Jessica got 2 aces, 4 double faults, 3/7 breaks earned but lost due to early mistakes.
Fernandez overcame a second-set dip by mentally resetting, as she described during her on-court interview: switching mindset mid-match made all the difference .
🧠 Tactical & Statistical Breakdown
Fernandez’s lefty serve posed challenges, she served smart and attacked break points aggressively. Pegula struggled with consistency, suffering four double faults in key moments.
From the WTA match stats: Fernandez held slight edges in first-serve points and return efficiency, ultimately prevailing in pivotal moments.
👩⚖️ What This Win Means
- Fernandez’s win marked her first victory over Pegula in three matches, all on U.S. hard courts, underscoring her improved mental and tactical game.
- Pegula, who enjoyed a strong summer with a U.S. Open final appearance in 2024, will lose significant ranking points from Washington and may drop in the standings .
🏆 Tournament Implications
Fernandez moves toward a face off with Taylor Townsend in the quarterfinals. Townsend had just crushed Sofia Kenin 6–3, 6–0 with 15 aces which setups an exciting all American showdown.
This pairing highlights awkward momentum: Fernandez building cred, Townsend riding a local wave in D.C..
Talk about mic drop 🎤💥
Leylah Fernandez takes down No.1 seed Pegula 6-3, 1-6, 7-5 to reach the Washington quarterfinals for the first time.#MubadalaCitiDCOpen pic.twitter.com/W1cg2JMBjs
— wta (@WTA) July 25, 2025
🎾 Profiling the Players
Leylah Fernandez(Canada)
- Fernandez is a U.S. Open finalist in 2021 who is known for her lefty shot making and mental resilience.
- She is working hard for consistency and stability in 2025 in which this win could mark a turning point.
Jessica Pegula(USA)
- Career high world No. 3 in 2022, currently ranked Number 4 in July 2025.
- Victorious at Washington in 2019, Pegula’s early exit is a shock given her form.
Pegula has nine singles titles, including multiple WTA 1000s and a US Open final, making her consistency a benchmark for Fernandez .
🔮 What’s Ahead: Tournament Outlook
- Fernandez can use this momentum to challenge for the title, facing a pathway that includes Townsend and potentially other seeds.
- Pegula’s early exit gives open access in the draw and signals that rankings may not predict hard-court outcomes this week.
📺 Where to Watch
All the matches are available on Tennis Channel, with streaming options via Tennis Channel Plus and select WTA platforms.
Fernandez vs Townsend quarterfinal is scheduled for Baltimore Court on Friday evening, schedule details live via the tournament app and WTA broadcast schedule .