In twilight of career, comeback Sevastova upsets Pegula at NBO

The Latvian certainly made a huge impact at the National Bank Open presented by Rogers on Friday afternoon when she upset two-time defending champion Jessica Pegula 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 in the third round.

The 35-year-old overcame a set and break deficit to record her first Top 10 victory in five years.

Given her ranking of no. 386, there is no denying that on paper, it was a huge surprise. However, Sevastova isn’t an unknown who just happened to play the match of her life.

She is a former Top 20 regular and US Open semi-finalist, utilizing a somewhat unorthodox game of feel and finesse instead of overwhelming power.

That last Top 10 win? It came against Serena Williams in the Billie Jean King Cup. The legendary Williams had never lost in singles previously in the competition.

And before that, she toppled Naomi Osaka – her next foe in Montreal – in Beijing in 2018.

“It’s a bit surreal,” Sevastova told reporters. “I didn’t think about winning the whole match. I was just thinking to stay on court as long as possible. In the third set I think I really played great tennis, and I didn’t do any mistakes and that was the key.”

“I just put her in bad positions, so she has to do a lot of things she doesn’t like.”

The stat sheet confirmed it. Pegula committed a season high 63 unforced errors.

The American, who has a ton of points to defend in the coming weeks, has now lost three of her last four matches. 

“I don't really feel like I'm playing great tennis,” said Pegula. “At times I am, but I feel very up and down, kind of sloppy, which I don't like. It really bothers me. I'm kind of a perfectionist, so I don't like having to say that.”

“I feel like I've gone through phases in my career, a few tournaments, where I feel like that sometimes, and you have to figure out how to get out of it and not feel sorry for yourself or make excuses. I've got figure it out.”

But back to Sevastova, who tore her ACL in a match in March 2024 as part of her comeback after giving birth to daughter Alexandra She underwent an initial surgery, then had another one last January, only returning to action in April.

“It’s tough but I think I’m a fighter on court,” said Sevastova. “I didn’t want to give up. I think it was my toughest comeback. Coming back after a baby, it’s fine. You need time but you take your time and get you fit slowly.

“But here I have a child and I have a knee that is not perfect. It’s good but there are days it doesn’t feel good.”

Despite the result Friday, Sevastova still doesn’ t know if she’ll continue competing after the US Open. She enjoys home life in Austria with her family (her coach is also her partner), which includes the family dog.

“I’m already at that stage in my career that I like to be at home, and I don’t like to travel every week,” said Sevastova. “If you want your ranking to be high, you have to travel because everybody is travelling and playing every week. But it’s not what I’m going to do.”

Her daughter is with her in Montreal but isn’t attending her matches. 

Photo: Mathieu Bélanger