Madison Keys "lights out," dominates Jessica Pegula to reach US Open quarterfinals

NEW YORK—Madison Keys became the fifth American to reach a US Open singles quarterfinal. If she plays the way she did today for the rest of this week, she could very well be the last one standing.

The first set of her fourth-round match was a throwback to 2017—when Keys reached the final at Flushing Meadows, and when her opponent, Jessica Pegula, was ranked outside the Top 100—while the rest of this encounter mirrored what the No. 3 seed said heading into it:

“You know if [she’s] having a good day, you’re in for it,” Pegula said of Keys.

It didn’t take long to realize that Keys was having a very good day. Her near-unparalleled pace in the women’s game was on display from the onset, with Pegula unable whatsoever to establish the terms of competition. Serves, forehands, backhands: no matter the shot, the contact between the sweet spot of Keys’ Wilson racquet and the tiny yellow ball sounded like a whipcrack. Pegula was helpless, losing her first service game and dropping the first set in only 27 minutes.

"It was definitely just thinking to try to keep it up, and expected her level to get a little bit better," said Keys about her fast start. "Not to get flustered if things got a little bit tighter, and if she was able to break or anything like that, and just really try and stay in the moment."

An increasingly frustrated Pegula, who was vying to reach her sixth quarterfinal in her last eight Grand Slams, stabilized after Keys took a 0-30 lead to open the second set. The Buffalo native recovered and saved a break point for a crucial hold—only to see Keys respond with a love hold.

Two games later, Pegula failed to take advantage of a dreadful overhead miss from Keys. With another service hold secured, Keys broke Pegula for 3-2 with a massive backhand return and without much trouble.

"Maddy played lights-out, I thought," said Pegula. "Serving, returning, hitting the ball so clean...I mean, she was painting the back of the line. There wasn't that much I honestly could have done."

"I feel like today [I] was just really focused on trying to keep rallies short, just because Jess is so good," said Keys. "The longer the rally gets, the better Jess seems to get."

Even Pegula’s brushes with prosperity were short-lived. Some Keys miscues gave Pegula her first break point of the match at 30-40, 2-3. She converted thanks to a Keys error—but was broken in the very next game after hitting her ninth unforced error of the set. She would strike 20 overall.

The presence of Pegula, a good friend of Keys, seemed to embolden the Rock Island, Ill. native to rise to her best. Frankly, it was brutally beautiful to watch. Keys’ hold for 5-3 was a masterclass in power tennis. Confident serves, deep forehands, big backhands: no matter the shot, it was there for Keys today.

“It’s always tough having to play a friend,” said Keys, who was 0-1 against Pegula heading into the day, but “when we get on the court, it’s all business.”

Keys’ knockout game has always felt worthy of winning a major, but it has leaked when the pressure’s been on. Pegula didn’t apply anywhere close to enough pressure on Keys today, but the same time, Madison never gave her a chance to do so.

"I don't think I played my best, but at the same time she never really gave me a chance much to get back in it," said Pegula. "Every time I felt like maybe there was a window, just wasn't happening.

"I think it was a combination of things. But honestly, I mean, we all know how she can play. She's still a huge threat when she can play like that."