Can Jessica Pegula win Miami?

Jessica Pegula
Rick Limpert

Will Jessica Pegula win another huge tournament and win it all? The American has had a fine last two years, but at the Grand Slam events, she has never reached into the final, ever. But forget it about now, she has to raise her game, and make sure to hit it very deep, as her opponent, Ekaterina Alexandrova, will be ready to attach it, early. Physically, she has had a tough time this year, but she does feel better, and Pegula can become very comfortable during the match. Two days ago, she beat the other American, Emma Navarro, in two tight sets.

“That win was really important for me, honestly,” Pegula said. “I think this week and how I approached this week was really going to dictate how my year was going to go. Maybe it’s true, maybe it’s not, but I think mentally I wasn’t really coming in a great mental state.  But I know I can play really well here and I like the conditions so I wanted to try and turn it around this week.”

Pegula will have to, as Alexandrova almost stunned when she beat the No. 1 Iga Swiatek. She hit so many winners, with some gigantic shots. However, she is up and down, so she is going to have to push her back.

The other American, Danielle Collins, is playing very well, at least in Miami. She is a immense hitter, and she rarely decides to be more patient. She wants to go for it, when she has to smash the ball, all over the place. She will retire at the end of the year, so this is mammoth. She will have to face another veteran, Caroline Garcia, when she  played amazing, as she beat Naomi Osaka and Coco Gauff, two Grand Slams players. The Frenchwoman can be super steady, and she can also rush the net. She has won a few tremendous tournaments, but she has never won a Grand Slam, yet. But she is feeling good, and she has to play phenomenal. Yet Collins has beat her all three times. That is a astronomical challenge.

“On the practice courts in Indian Wells after the loss against Maria [Sakkari], I was a bit down,” Garcia said. “And then we did some good practice, we saw she played well. So my team was, like, You see? It was not that bad.”

Once again, when Jannik  Sinner played very well on Tuesday, in straight sets, and now he has to take down Tomas Machac. The Spaniard is pretty young, and last year, he finally broke into the top 100. Each week, he looks like that he is trying to add some new shots, and to swing harder. However, the 2024 Aussie Open champion, Sinner, is much more composed now. He is a massive hit her, with his forehand and his backhand, and he can also be suffering. Right now, he is better than Machac, and he should win it in two simple sets.

Chilean Nicolas Jarry did reach the top 20 this year, and he must have been rapturous. He has had a solid season, when he is not only competitive, but also, when he reacts. He is not a fantastic player, at least yet, so if he wants to grab it, he most really be super patient versus, Daniil Medvedev, who almost always loves to rally from the backcourt. Yes, the Russian can mess it up, but when he is happy, on court, he can take down almost everyone. However, while he goes go deep, each event, and that is just fine, but he has not won a tournament this year. There is no doubt that he wants to play against Carlos Alcaraz again, as the Spaniard beat him in the final at Indian Wells. Medvedev is churning, in Miami.