In the Guadalajara Open Final Maria Sakkari tried to make matters a little interesting when after trailing by a set and 2 breaks of serve in the second, the second break of serve coming in the 7th game of the second set for the scoreboard to read 2-6 2-5 – the event’s third seed Jessica Pegula served for the match only to have her second serve attacked by Sakkari when she took the ball early and came forward to finish off points at net.
The American did manage to make a first serve in that 8th game and save another break point; her opponent had 2 at that stage at 15-40, but an unforced error off her cross-court backhand that went long gave Sakkari a third break point in that game. Sakkari had not had a break point in the match as it was a dominant display from Pegula until then. These were the first opportunities to get a break and she did break upon the 3rd break point, forcing Pegula to do something about being shaky when serving for the title for the first time in the match.
At 3-5, if the Greek woman held her serve, Pegula would have another chance to serve out the match.
She did not let things get there though.
When Sakkari had a shaky start of her own in that crucial game which followed by beginning the 9th game with a double fault, the American was ready to take full advantage.
After that double fault, an 11-shot rally followed. Sakkari sent a forehand shot into the net and trailed 0-30 in the ongoing game. It was more of the same story as far as errors were concerned in the next point, after a much shorter rally though; Sakkari made another unforced error; this time from her backhand.
Pegula had 3 champion points and took the first one to win the final 6-2 6-3.
