Pegula beats Kenin 6-3, 6-1

Jessica Pegula moved through her second-round match at the U.S. Open in 56 minutes on Wednesday, beating fellow American Sofia Kenin 6-3, 6-1 at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The third seed reached the tournament’s third round for the seventh straight year with a match that was over before more rain again scrambled the schedule elsewhere at Flushing Meadows. Official results and WTA match coverage showed Pegula did not face a break point in the win. Reuters and other match reports said she also dropped only three first-serve points in the opening set. ### How one-sided was the Pegula-Kenin match? Pegula controlled the match from the start, taking the first set 6-3 and then running through the second 6-1. WTA coverage described the performance as an “all-American rout,” and official scoring listed the match as a straight-sets Round of 64 win in New York. (wtatennis.com) The 56-minute duration was the clearest number from the afternoon. Reuters reported Pegula never faced a break point, while multiple reports said she conceded only three points behind her first serve in the first set. Those numbers help explain how little time Kenin had to extend rallies or pressure Pegula’s service games. (wtatennis.com) ### Why did the result matter beyond one match? The U.S. Open field was still dealing with weather disruption on Sept. 2, with rain delays leaving parts of the draw unevenly paced. Associated Press and AFP reports said some players were still trying to complete first-round matches while Pegula and other winners had already moved into the third round. (straitstimes.com) That gave added value to a quick, clean win on the main stadium court. Pegula’s result also kept one of the top American women on schedule at her home major. The U.S. Open’s own match report said the Arthur Ashe Stadium announcer introduced her as the “top American on Tour,” and the No. 3 seed backed that billing with a straight-sets performance that avoided a long afternoon in unsettled conditions. (france24.com) ### What did the match say about Pegula’s form? Reuters described Pegula’s performance as “finely tuned,” and the match statistics support that characterization. A player who does not face a break point and finishes in under an hour is usually dictating both serve and return patterns, and that is what the available reports showed on Wednesday. (usopen.org) WTA coverage said Pegula reached the third round in New York for the seventh year in a row. That record does not settle the larger question of whether she can win the title, but it does show a consistent pattern: she has been reliable in the event’s opening week and again had no trouble navigating the early rounds in 2026. (straitstimes.com) ### Where did Kenin stand coming into the match? Sofia Kenin entered as a former Australian Open champion and, according to AFP coverage, was ranked No. 110 at the time of the match. That made the pairing notable on paper as an all-American meeting between two players with major-level credentials, even if the scoreboard quickly tilted toward Pegula. (wtatennis.com) The U.S. Open’s own report noted that Pegula had beaten Kenin in New York two years earlier as well. This time, the margin was wider and the match shorter, with Kenin unable to make the contest as competitive as their prior Grand Slam meeting. (france24.com) ### Who else moved through the draw that day? Daniil Medvedev and Ben Shelton also advanced on the same rain-hit Wednesday. AFP and Reuters reports said Medvedev, the 2021 champion, moved into the third round with a straight-sets win, while Shelton also booked a third-round berth as play continued around interruptions elsewhere on the grounds. (usopen.org) Leylah Fernandez is Pegula’s next opponent in the third round, according to ESPN and other match reports. That matchup will decide which player moves on from Pegula’s section of the women’s draw at Flushing Meadows. (espn.com) (france24.com)