In one of the most highly anticipated matches at Rod Laver Arena, Jessica Pegula shattered the hopes of defending champion Madison Keys at the Australian Open 2026.
The #6-seeded Jessica Pegula won a 6-3, 6-4 battle with her fellow co-patriot, close friend, and podcast co-host in a contest that lasted just over an hour.
This fourth-round meeting saw them meet for the first time since the 2025 Adelaide International final, where Madison Keys had triumphed before going on to win her maiden Grand Slam title.
However, Monday was a different story, and Jessica Pegula played the steady strategic style of play that has become her trademark.
“I’ve been playing really well . . . and I wanted to stay true to that,” Jessica Pegula said after the match.
Her game plan centered around smart serving and mixing up the pace to keep Keys off balance, a game plan that paid dividends throughout the straight-sets win.
A Struggle Among Friends and Rivals
The turgor of the two players gave the match another dimension of intrigue. And outside of their on-court rivalry, the two are co-hosts of the podcast The Player’s Box.
Leading up to the match, Madison Keys managed to admit that the task at hand was complex, listening to Jessica Pegula’s consistency and weapon of being able to use the drop shot, which Jessica Pegula harnessed to set up match points.
The match began well for Jessica Pegula, who soon led 2-0. While Madison Keys was recorded for her ability to hit the ball with power, struggling to dig herself out of breaks in both sets, unforced errors had cost her dearly.
A string of unimportant mistakes in the first had Jessica Pegula serve it out, and then double faults from Keys in the second set gave Pegula the momentum needed to close out the win.
Bound for Quarterfinal with Wager Won
With this victory, Pegula goes on to her fourth Australian Open quarterfinal and ties her head-to-head score with Keys at 2-2. The victory carried with it a lighthearted bonus as well, in the form of a friendly wager that was won.
Keys must try now a Jessica Pegula family quirk – apple pie with melted cheddar cheese. Had the outcome been the opposite, Jessica Pegula would have been stuck donning a Travis Kelce jersey.
Looking ahead, Pegula will be meeting another American, fourth seed Amanda Anisimova, in the quarters. “At least one of us will get through, and I think that’s great for American tennis,” Pegula noted, celebrating the good showing of U.S. women in the deep stages of the tournament.
Saurabh is a passionate tennis content writer and lifelong fan of the game. Whether it’s Grand Slam showdowns or under-the-radar rising stars, Saurabh brings the court to life with sharp analysis, breaking news, and deep-dive features. When they aren’t covering matches, you can find them practicing their topspin forehand or debating who is the GOAT over coffee. Do you enjoy tennis? Then you are in the right place.
