From quiet contender to center stage: Jessica Pegula’s jaw-dropping Italian Open win

Photo by Robert Prange/Getty Images

Jessica Pegula has advanced to the round of 16 at the Italian Open with a dominant performance against Rebeka Masarova.

The American cruised past her Swiss opponent 6-0, 6-0 in just one hour in Rome, capping off an impressive win.

Pegula, seeded fifth at the WTA 1000 event, had also opened her campaign with a solid 6-4, 6-0 victory over Zeynep Sonmez.

She is now chasing her third title of the season and has just reached a significant milestone in her career at this tournament.

Photo by Robert Prange/Getty Images

Pegula delivers first double bagel of her career in Italian Open win

According to OptaAce, Pegula’s 6-0, 6-0 victory over Masarova marks the first double bagel of her career, coming in her 424th match.

She also became the first player in the Open Era to record three consecutive 6-0 sets at the Italian Open.

Both milestones are likely to give Pegula a boost as she looks ahead to her next opponent.

The American now faces qualifier Anastasia Potapova, who has already taken down seeded players Karolina Muchova and Liudmila Samsonova.

American women see mixed results at the Italian Open

Pegula has already put together a strong 2026 season, with title wins in Charleston and Dubai highlighting her form on the WTA Tour.

And it doesn’t look like she’s slowing down any time soon. The American has reached the last 16 in Rome without much trouble.

She’ll be joined in that round by Coco Gauff and Iva Jovic, who are set to face each other in an all-American matchup.

The rise of Jovic has been one of the stories of the tournament so far. She booked her place in the next round by defeating Taylor Townsend, while Hailey Baptiste and Madison Keys also bowed out in the third round.