Jessica Pegula has played a match she will likely want to forget after being dismissed in straight sets by Marta Kostyuk in the semi finals at the Brisbane International.
The world No.6 looked comfortable as she stepped out to warm up on the court at Pat Rafter Arena, but her game plan took a rapid turn within minutes of the match starting.
It took just 10 minutes for two greats of the game to admit their surprise at the world No.6’s performance, with Kostyuk snatching a 4-0 lead in just 10 minutes.
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Jessica Pegula reacts after losing a point. Nine
By the 20th minute, the first set was complete, with the Ukrainian winning 6-0.
“It’s like watching a video game … she is technically so sound. It is almost perfection,” Australian great Jelena Dokic said of Kostyuk in commentary on Nine.
“Sometimes you can almost have a drop in intensity or concentration, but to lose a set 6-love, you’ve really got to be dialled in.”
Todd Woodbridge added in awe: “Taking a set against the world No.6 no less [is impressive].”
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The same pattern followed into the second set, with Kostyuk soaring to a 3-0 lead with just another 10 minutes going by on the clock.
Kostyuk’s mindset was in no way rattled by her comfortable lead, much to the joy of Dokic, who noted how hard that is to do.
“The mindset around it, when you are winning so easily … to keep going and not let the intensity drop, that is so hard to do. She is dialled in,” she said.
Marta Kostyuk celebrates after winning the first set. Getty
“She must have an early dinner reservation,” Dokic added.
Woodbridge replied: “Or maybe even a late lunch.”
It wasn’t until the 36th minute that Pegula finally got a game on the board, but it did not come without a true fight against the world No.26.
Still, Kostyuk fired back in style to add another game to her tally, leaving Pegula looking to her box for some sort of support.
Pegula did manage to get two more games onto the board next to her name, but that was not enough to ensure that her opponent would not book a spot in the final.
By the 54th minute, Kostyuk had won the match 6-0, 6-3.
Kostyuk will now face world No.1 and reigning Brisbane International champion Aryna Sabalenka in the women’s final on Sunday.