The phrase “expect the unexpected” may have met its match in Jessica Pegula.

Wuhan: Scores | Draws | Order of play

For the sixth straight outing, Pegula took the court, and the result was a three-setter — and for the fifth time, she came out on top.

“I can’t remember the last time I played two sets,” Pegula said after the match. “But I’ve been competing really hard and I’ve been playing a lot of really good players. It was different conditions today with the roof closed and I think it took us a little while to get adjusted, but then I felt like it was a really high level there for the rest of the match.

“I’m just excited I was able to get over the finish line.”

The American rallied from a 5-2 deficit in the opening set to defeat No. 9 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 in 2 hours and 6 minutes, advancing to the Dongfeng · Voyah Wuhan Open quarterfinals for the first time in her career.

Pegula improved to 3-3 in the head-to-head against Alexandrova, earning her first win over the Russian on a surface other than clay. She’ll face the winner of Iva Jovic and Katerina Siniakova in the next round.

Here are some takeaways following another Pegula three-set victory:

Moment(s) of the match: Two pivotal stretches defined the match — one in the opening set, the other in the decider.

With Alexandrova serving at 5-5, 15-30 in the first set, Pegula capped off a 12-shot rally with a blistering backhand winner to earn a break point, she converted, securing a 6-5 lead to allow her to serve for the set. It was the fourth of five straight games won by Pegula in her opening-set comeback.

Fast forward to the third set, and Pegula was trailing 7-5, 3-6, 1-2 and facing 30–30 on Alexandrova’s serve. What followed was a defensive masterclass by Pegula.

She chased down multiple would-be winners — including a smash — and ended an 18-shot rally with a forehand winner to earn another break point. She converted, leveling the set at 2-all.

The break sparked a run of four straight games for Pegula, who surged to a 5-2 lead before closing out the match a couple games later.

Three is key: Winning three-setters has become a habit for Pegula, albeit an unintentional one.

Thursday’s match marked her sixth consecutive three-setter, dating back to her third-round clash with Emma Raducanu last week in Beijing.

Across the 2025 season, Pegula has played a Hologic WTA Tour-leading 25 three-set matches, compiling a 14-11 record. Only Madison Keys (15) has won more three-setters than Pegula this year.

The 31-year-old went 13-7 in such matches in 2024.

Quarterfinal staple: With Thursday’s win, Pegula has now reached the quarterfinals of a WTA event 10 times this season. Only Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka (13 each) have more.

She is 7-2 in quarterfinal matches thus far this season, coincidentally with both losses coming against Alexandrova.

Pegula also became the third active player, joining Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina, to reach the quarterfinals at all 10 WTA 1000 tournaments on the calendar.