Jessica Pegula wins Cincinnati Open day-night doubleheader to keep hot streak going

“It was an eat your dinner in the cold tub kinda day.”

That’s the scene Jessica Pegula set on X (formerly Twitter) with an accompanying photo just before 11 p.m. from Ohio.

Her latest day at the office might help explain the rather efficient approach.

Fresh off a successful title defense at Canada’s WTA 1000 event that alternates between host cities Montreal and Toronto (where she defeated Amanda Anisimova Monday), Pegula successfully pulled double duty Friday with rain the prior evening forcing a few competitors at the Cincinnati Open to play catch up.

The No. 6 seed drew one of the toughest opening competitors in Karolina Muchova, last year’s finalist. Playing on Court 7, Pegula needed some time to settle into the swift conditions before fending off the Czech, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2.

Back at it during the night session, this time on Court 3, Pegula won an all-American showdown over Taylor Townsend thanks to a 6-2, 6-3 victory. The Buffalo, N.Y. native saved each of the four break points she faced to line up another left-handed opponent, Leylah Fernandez. The Canadian cooled off Diana Shnaider, 6-1, 6-4.

Elsewhere, Pegula’s compatriot Ben Shelton locked up a last eight berth in the men’s field.

A day after prevailing from match point down, Shelton took a more direct path to victory. Adjusting his return tactics, the No. 12 seed defeated Fabian Marozsan, 6-4, 6-3.

“I definitely changed up my game plan a little way’s through the match. When I’ve played him before, I’ve really been able to attack his serve. He was popping the spots today. Obviously a fast court,” he told Tennis Channel’s Prakash Amritraj following his win.

“I started chipping the forehand return a little bit, just blocking the backhand. Not really taking any big swings and I dropped back pretty deep on the second serve just to give myself a little time.”

The 21-year-old gets third seed Alexander Zverev Saturday after the German beat Pablo Carreño Busta, 7-5, 7-6 (6).

At 1:10 a.m., Frances Tiafoe joined Shelton in the quarterfinals by outlasting Jiri Lehecka, 6-4, 6-7 (10), 7-6 (5). Tiafoe recovered from not taking any of his three match points in the second-set tiebreaker to officially get through after two hours and 52 minutes. Fifth seed Hubert Hurkacz awaits in a primetime clash set for Saturday.