Pegula Puts Friendship Aside To Beat Keys, Moves Into Australian Open Quarterfinals

Jessica Pegula
Jessica Pegula (photo: Jürgen Hasenkopf)

MELBOURNE/WASHINGTON, January 26, 2026 (by Michael Dickens)

Jessica Pegula went toe-to-toe with fellow American and defending champion Madison Keys on Australia Day as fourth-round play at the Australian Open began on the second Monday of the first Grand Slam of the 2026 season.

In a battle of Top-10 players and good friends – the two share a podcast together with two other American players, Jennifer Brady and Desirae Krawczyk – something had to give. The World No. 6 Pegula gained an early break lead in both first and second sets and played nearly flawless tennis throughout the 78-minute match on Rod Laver Arena.

It all added up to a 6-3, 6-4 victory for Pegula over the World No. 9 Keys and leveled their career head-to-head at 2-all after Keys had won their most recent meeting in last year’s Adelaide final en route to her Grand Slam breakthrough at Melbourne Park. Pegula improved to 8-2 in major fourth-round matches overall.

“We could literally be friends and laughing until the moment we walk on the court,” Keys said earlier during the Melbourne fortnight. “Then in that moment we both want to win and we both are competitors. We’re going to do whatever we can to get the W.

“The moment it’s over, you’re back to being friends. I think those are one of those things that I actually really love about tennis, because it’s taught a lot of us how to just manage our friendships and relationships and be able to genuinely love each other and are close and all of that, but also still be really competitive.”

Pegula reached her fourth AO quarterfinal – and first since 2023 – by being more consistent on her groundstrokes and returns. She hit 14 winners, made just 13 unforced errors and benefited from 28 unforced errors by Keys. Despite withstanding 26 winners by Keys, Pegula broke her opponent four times in five opportunities and outpointed her 69-56. The two shared a warm embrace at the net at the conclusion of their third-round tussle.

“I’ve been playing really well, seeing the ball really well, hitting the ball really well this whole tournament, and I wanted to stay true to that and lean on a couple of things that I felt like she would do,” Pegula said during her on-court interview. She has yet to lose a set through the first four rounds of the year’s first major.

“I felt like I came out doing it pretty well and got a couple of quick points for her early on. When I had that lead, I tried to stick with that lead as much as I could and tried to focus on what I needed to do and the patterns to look out for. 

“In the first set, she played a couple of really good games, and I had to focus on where I was serving, be smart, take some risk on a couple of second serves, change up the pace as much as I could. … I had to really trust that I was able to change speeds and hit my spots on my serves. In the second set, I couldn’t see anything into the sun, and I was like, ‘Whatever.’ I got broken [at 4-1] … so I tried not to get too upset at that one.”

Keys, who was denied a fifth AO quarterfinal berth, saw her 10-match Melbourne winning streak come to an end. She was the second-oldest woman in the Open Era behind Serena Williams to garner 10-plus straight wins at the Australian Open.

“Obviously not the way that I wanted things to end here, but still really proud of myself,” Keys, 30, said, during her post-match news conference.

“I think coming back, being defending champion, dealing with all of the extra pressure and nerves, I’m just really proud of myself for how I handled it.”

“I can walk away with my head held high.”

Anisimova makes four Americans in women’s last eight

Next, Pegula will play No. 4 seed Amanda Anismiova, whom she has beaten all three times, in another all-American clash. Sunday afternoon on John Cain Arena, Anisimova powered her way past No. 46 Wang Xinyu of China, 7-6 (4), 6-4, in one hour and 42 minutes, behind 27 winners. She outpointed Wang 76-67 to complete a career set of Grand Slam quarterfinals.

“I feel like I was really able to use my serve to my advantage today,” Anisimova said. “Normally it’s the opposite, that my game from the baseline kind of saves me and then my serve is kind of struggling sometimes. But today, I feel like my serve was really helping me out, especially in key moments.

“Yeah, I think my mentality has also improved a lot. Like, really tough conditions again today. It was really hot. Just being able to stay focused, stay positive, really give myself good body language was really helpful. Yeah, I’ve been working a lot on it.”

Anisimova said she looks forward to facing Pegula on Wednesday. “She can challenge any of the top players. She’s obviously at the top for a reason,” she said. 

“But yeah, I mean, I feel like I always have a chance against anyone. It’s not really in my head, I feel like every match is new and different. I think the fact that I’ve never beaten her before is an extra challenge for me.”

Shelton dialed in, beats Ruud

Top American Ben Shelton showed why versatility mattered during his four-set comeback victory over Casper Ruud of Norway on Rod Laver Arena Monday night. The No. 8 seed rallied from a set down to beat the 12th-seeded Ruud, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4, in two hours and 36 minutes to advance to the quarterfinals against two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner.

Shelton, whose fastest serve of the fourth-round match was his second-to-last of the night – a whopping 228 km/h – unleashed plenty of power as he struck 55 winners, which included 14 aces. He also wasn’t afraid to attack at the net, where he won 97 percent (29 of 30) of his exchanges. Shelton converted three of 11 break points and outpointed Ruud 120-101. It all added up for Shelton, who is now through to his third quarterfinal appearance in Melbourne in four trips. 

“For me, the atmosphere is everything,” Shelton said during his on-court interview. “I’m definitely a competitor. I’m rowdy on the court and I look forward to rowdy crowds. Down here in Australia, there’s no shortage. … From my first experience, I fell in love with this tournament. It’s one of my favorites marked down on the calendar every year.”

Shelton came on strong toward the end, dropping just three points on his serve during the final set. He won 83 percent (52 of 63) of his first-serve points overall. Meanwhile, Ruud finished with 23 winners to 33 unforced errors. He managed to break Shelton’s serve just once.

During his on-court interview with Hall of Famer Jim Courier, Shelton said he looks forward to facing Sinner on Wednesday, despite winning just once in nine meetings with the current World No. 2. Last year, Sinner defeated Shelton in the AO semifinals.

“It’s what you look forward to most in this sport,” Shelton said of his upcoming quarterfinal against Sinner. “It’s where I wanted to be. I wanted to be back here. I wanted to give myself another shot, improve on some things I didn’t do as well last year and leave it all out on the court.”

Sinner wins all-Italian match-up over Darderi

Two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner was forced to dig deep through searing heat and severe cramping in order to come out on top of his third-round match against American Elliot Spizzirri Saturday afternoon. His reward for surviving was a round of 16 match-up with fellow Italian and 22nd seed Luciano Darderi on Margaret Court Arena Monday evening, which Sinner won 6-1, 6-3, 7-6 (2), in two hours and nine minutes.

The World No. 2 came in his first match-up with Darderi owning a perfect record against all other Italian competition – 17-0, including 5-0 against his countrymen in Grand Slams. By contrast, Darderi had lost all five previous matches he’s played against other Italians, including the only previous match against a compatriot at a major.

Sinner got back on track by hitting 46 winners – including 19 aces – and saved all six break points he faced from Darderi. He converted four of eight break-point opportunities and outpointed Darderi 105-78 to move into his fourth successive Melbourne quarterfinal. 

“In the third set, I felt like I had a couple of break chances, couldn’t use them, and then I got very, very tight so I’m very happy that I closed it in three sets,” Sinner said. “I tried to raise my level. I started off very well the match, and also [happy] with how I closed with some really important pressure points.”

Sinner, who has now won 18 straight Australian Open matches, is bidding to become just the fourth player in the tournament history to win three consecutive AO men’s singles titles. He will take an overall winning streak of 19 into his quarterfinal match with No. 8 seed Ben Shelton of the United States.

Musetti beats Fritz, reaches first AO quarterfinal

World No. 5 and fifth seed Lorenzo Musetti of Italy defeated No. 9 seed Taylor Fritz of the United States, 6-2, 7-5, 6-4, in two hours and three minutes on Rod Laver Arena Sunday afternoon, in the second meeting of Top 10 players in the men’s singles draw this year. 

By winning, Musetti has completed the career set of Grand Slam quarterfinals. Also, by joining Sinner in the quarterfinals, it makes the fifth consecutive Grand Slam tournament at which two Italian men have reached the last eight.

Musetti struck 33 winners and made 24 unforced errors, compared to 23 winners and 34 unforced errors by Fritz. The young Italian broke Fritz four times in nine tries while saving both break points he faced. Musetti outpointed Fritz 97-68.

“I feel very proud, honestly, because I know Taylor very well,” Musetti said. “We’ve played many battles. Last time, in Turin, he was the winner, so I came here with a different mentality. Today, the serve was really working well, and I made one of my best performances with aces in my career so far. So, I’m really, really happy.”

Musetti said that after he finished last season, his goal was to begin his 2026 campaign well “because I never surpassed the first week here.

“So, making the final in Hong Kong, winning the doubles in Hong Kong, and now in the quarterfinals – for me, it’s a dream.”

Next, Musetti will oppose 10-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals. The 38-year-old Serbian received a walkover into the last eight after No. 16 seed Jakub Mensik of Czechia withdrew Sunday evening due to an abdominal injury.

Around the Australian Open

• No. 5 seed Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan struck 32 winners, including 10 aces, and won 72 percent of her first-serve points against No. 21 seed Elise Mertens on Margaret Court Arena. It added up to a 6-1, 6-3 victory that was completed in 77 minutes and was characterized by Rybakina’s quiet power.

Now, Rybakina is through to her seventh Grand Slam appearance of her career and the first one since 2024 at Wimbledon.

“I’m happy that I stayed aggressive – happy to get through another round,” said Rybakina, who saved the only break point she faced. She converted four of nine break-point chances against Mertens and outpointed her 65-44.

• World No. 2 and second seed Iga Swiatek of Poland ended the run of 168th-ranked Australian qualifier Maddison Inglis, 6-0, 6-3, in 73 minutes on Rod Laver Arena. Swiatek won 83 percent (20 of 24) of her first-serve points, hit 22 winners and converted five of six break-point chances. She outpointed Inglis 60-32.

“From the beginning, I felt quite confident,” Swiatek said during her post-match news conference. “I was just playing my game and that’s it.”

Swiatek is through to the last eight for the third time at Melbourne Park and will face No. 5 seed Elena Rybakina in the quarterfinals. The Polish star leads their career series 6-5.

“I wouldn’t say head-to-head matters,” Swiatek said. “Every match is a different story and like on every match she’s been a tough opponent. … I need to be 100 percent ready and go for it.”

Monday’s Australian Open results

Tuesday’s Australian Open order of play

Updated men’s singles draw

Updated women’s singles draw

Quick hits

Eighteen-year-old American Iva Jovic, the youngest member of the WTA Top 100, is through to her first Grand Slam quarterfinal match of her nascent career. She scored her first Top-10 win last week against World No. 8 Jasmine Paolini of Italy and through four victories in Melbourne she’s still hasn’t dropped a set.

On Sunday, Jovic dropped just one game in her 53-minute 6-0, 6-1 takedown of Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan to improve to 11-2 on the young 2026 season. Jovic is the youngest player to reach the Australian Open women’s singles quarterfinals without dropping a set since Venus Williams in 1998.

In an interview with ESPN, the 29th-seeded Jovic said: “I still don’t think it feels real. This is what you dream about. I thought maybe it would happen in many years to come, and maybe one day I would make it far, but I didn’t think it would be so quick.”

On Tuesday, Jovic, who is playing in just her sixth Grand Slam event but first as a seeded player, will be tested when she faces World No. 1 and top seed Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus.

“I’m just going to try to keep taking care of my side of the net,” Jovic said. “Obviously she’s number one for a reason and has had so much success at this tournament, but that’s what I want.

“I said it last year. I hope to be able to play her this year, because you definitely want to play the best and see how it goes. So I’m just really excited.”

By the numbers

• Lorenzo Musetti has now reached the quarterfinals in all four Grand Slams, joining Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner as the only men born after 2000 to achieve this feat.

• Qualifier Maddison Inglis, ranked 168th, is the first Australian woman to reach the Australian Open round of 16 since eventual champion Ashleigh Barty in 2022, and the first to do so as a qualifier since Amanda Tobin Dingwall in 1985, when there was only a 64-player draw.

“Quotable …”

“It feels amazing, it is so special to do it here. It is so special to come back here and play every year and it was a big goal of mine [to play well here] and I am super happy.

“Every year since I have come here the crowd support has been amazing. I don’t know why, but every year it has been so special to come back and have a crowd like this, with so much energy. It means the world to me.”

– No. 25 seed Learner Tien of the United States, during his on-court interview after reaching his first Grand Slam quarterfinal by defeating No. 11 seed Daniil Medvedev of Russia, 6-4, 6-0, 6-3, on Sunday.

 

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