Jessica Pegula has advanced to the third round of the French Open after defeating Ann Li in straight sets, 6-3, 7-6.
The American is looking for her third title of the season, after an up-and-down clay swing, where Pegula suffered a shock upset at the Madrid Open, before bowing out of the Italian Open in the early rounds.
Pegula won the Charleston Open in April, but since then had won just three matches before Roland Garros.
Following her second-round victory over Li, the 31-year-old spoke on one part of her game that has come on leaps and bounds over the last 12 months.
Jessica Pegula explains how her serve has evolved over the past year
In her post-match press conference, Pegula said: “I think over the past year my serve has gotten a lot better.
“Now I feel like I can hit a lot more different serves, and obviously I don’t serve well every single time, but I definitely have way more confidence in my serve in getting free points.
“I think even today I served really well at the end of the second set and was able to get myself out of some big moments and that is something that I think the top players do really well, so it’s something that I have worked on a lot and I think it has gotten better.
“The other thing I would say is my movement. I think I have got a bit better moving. I have worked on my footwork and just in and out of the corners a little bit better.
“I always thought I moved pretty decently, but I think just tightening that up has gotten a lot better, so I would say the serve and the movement are things I think I have improved on.”
Jessica Pegula gives her verdict on the French Open courts
Speaking on the difference between the courts at Roland Garros and other clay courts across Europe, Pegula said: “There’s not much difference.
“They are kind of all the same. It’s Europe during clay court season, which can be a very nice, beautiful day or a freezing cold, rainy and windy day.
“I think it is kind of similar in that sense. I would say that Madrid has a lot of altitude, maybe the conditions don’t matter as much there because the courts are almost like an indoor feeling.
“I think the courts here are also really good, so the weather doesn’t affect the play as much. Or maybe if we are playing another tournament where the clay isn’t as well-kept, a lot of rain might destroy them a little bit.
“So maybe the courts, you get more bad bounces and are not going anywhere as much. But I think here the courts hold up really well. They do an amazing job with them, so that helps a lot.”
Pegula is in the third round of Roland Garros for the fourth time in her career, with her best campaign a quarter-final finish in 2022.
Receive exclusive tennis news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
