Montreal, July 31 (IANS) Two-time defending champion Jessica Pegula won her 11th straight match at the Canadian Open, taking down Maria Sakkari in two close sets in the second round.

Pegula pulled off a daring first-set escape as she fended off five set points at 5-4 in the opening set and collected a 7-5, 6-4 win over Sakkari.

Pegula converted all five of her break points on Wednesday, becoming the first woman to win 11 straight matches at this event since Serena Williams reeled off 14 straight between 2011 and 2014.

The American will next face veteran Anastasija Sevastova in the third round. Former World No. 11 Sevastova beat Pegula in Indian Wells qualifying back in 2016, but Pegula picked up a clay-court win over Sevastova at 2019 Charleston.

Pegula led 3-1 in the first set before Sakkari stormed back in the opener, at one point winning 12 points in a row. Sakkari held her five set points at 5-4 but Pegula showed off her Canadian magic, battling to a hold for 5-5.

After that, Pegula’s service returns ramped up in efficacy and she won the next four games to lead by a set and a break. Pegula got all the way to 4-1 in the second set before Sakkari made another surge and reached 4-3, WTA reports.

Pegula had to save one final break point in the last game before earning another win in Canada.

Another American seeded in the Top 5, Amanda Anisimova, was also a second-round winner on Wednesday. No. 5 seed Anisimova defeated Lulu Sun 6-4, 7-6(5) in an evening encounter.

Contesting her first match since she finished runner-up to Iga Swiatek at Wimbledon, Anisimova slammed 11 aces as she moved into the third round for the second straight year.

Anisimova will face a Grand Slam champion in the third round when she takes on 2021 US Open winner Emma Raducanu.

Earlier, Naimi Osaka came from a set and 5-3 down, saving two match points, to triumph 4-6, 7-6(6), 6-3 over the No. 13 seed Liudmila Samsonova in 2 hours and 37 minutes.

–IANS

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