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Jessica Pegula says what Danielle Collins did in their match in Charleston which she has never done in any of their meetings before

Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
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Jessica Pegula was impressed with how Danielle Collins performed in their Charleston Open match.

The World number four had her back against the wall when she took on the event’s defending champion in the quarter-finals.

Danielle Collins was determined to claim her first victory over Pegula and looked set to do just that as she led the contest 6-1, 2-0.

But Pegula weathered the Collins storm and won 10 of the next 13 games to advance to the semifinals in Charleston for the third third successive year.

Credit One Charleston Open - Day 5
Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Jessica Pegula said Danielle Collins done something different against her at the Charleston Open

Jessica Pegula hit just two winners in set one as Collins unleashed a barrage of blistering shots.

The 31-year-old registered 12 winners in the first set, to just two from Pegula.

She was on the back foot but while she was trailing, Pegula said Collins was playing at a level she had not seen before, and explained how she turned the match around.

“She was playing at an insanely high level which we know she can play at and I don’t feel like she has played that high of a level against me,” Pegula explained post-match

“She came out really quick and I maybe came out a little bit slow. I felt like it was the perfect storm as to why she went up so quickly.

“In the back of my head I was like I know I can beat her, I have beaten her before, I just need to figure it out and not let myself get frustrated.

“I needed to figure out how to hold my serve and change the placement on my serve a little bit better to try and take her out of that rhythm and try and put pressure on her serve when I could, which I was doing I just couldn’t quite get there. But once I held and put some pressure on her, I felt like everything flipped a little bit.”

Credit One Charleston Open - Day 5
Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Jessica Pegula maintains undefeated record against Danielle Collins

Pegula hit just nine winners during her one hour and 44 minute contest against Collins.

Collins on the other hand, went from hitting just nine unforced errors in the first set, to 46 across sets two and three along with seven double faults.

Pegula kept her composure and defended very well, and began to play with more variety as the match went on as Collins continued to leak errors.

As a result, Pegula completed a 1-6, 6-3, 6-0 and will play Ekaterina Alexandrova in the Charleston Open semi-finals.

“I was like I just need to find a way to hold. I was in all of her service games and it was like, I am getting close to breaking, I have almost broken before,” Pegula added. “I just need to hold.

“She was just absolutely tearing apart returns. Just fought to win that game and to keep it to one break and I guess that’s all I needed but it was tough. The way she was playing there is not much you can do.”