World number five Jessica Pegula battled back from a set down to overcome lucky loser Bernarda Pera 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 and reach the quarterfinals of the Adelaide International on Wednesday.
The second seed needed two hours and 12 minutes to prevail in the all-American clash ahead of her campaign at the Australian Open, which begins on Sunday.
Pegula looked ill at ease against Pera’s powerful left-handed game in the opening set and converted only one of her 10 break point chances.
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But she found her feet in the second set to draw level and after nosing ahead by a break at 4-3 in the third she then saved five break points for a crucial hold.
Her sixth break in the next game vanquished Pera, setting up a quarter-final against either Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova or Katerina Siniakova on Thursday.
“(Pera) was hitting unbelievable shots in the first set, I didn’t really think there was much more I could do,” Pegula said.
“I just tried to change a couple of things, and stay relaxed, not get frustrated that she was playing some great tennis. She’s always very tough.”
At the Hobart International, another tune-up event for the Melbourne Park Grand Slam, top seed Elise Mertens defeated Anna Karolina Schmiedlova 6-2, 6-3 to make the quarterfinals.
At the Auckland Classic, top seed Ben Shelton defeated Fabian Marozsan 6-3, 6-4, while third seed Francisco Cerundolo was hammered 6-1, 6-1 by Alexandre Muller.
