No. 4 Jessica Pegula cruises to victory in Montreal

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Field Level Media
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Aug 10, 2023; Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Jessica Pegula (USA) tracks her shot against Jasmine Paolini (ITA) (not pictured) during third round play at IGA Stadium.
Aug 10, 2023; Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Jessica Pegula (USA) tracks her shot against Jasmine Paolini (ITA) (not pictured) during third round play at IGA Stadium.
Image: David Kirouac-USA TODAY Sports

No. 4 Jessica Pegula of the United States had no trouble dispatching Italy's Jasmine Paolini 6-4, 6-0, on Thursday before rain halted play in Montreal.

Pegula, who advanced to the quarterfinals with the 69-minute victory, finished with six aces to one double fault. Pegula also broke Paolini five times on 11 chances.

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Seeking her first National Bank Open title after consecutive semifinal appearances at the event, Pegula will play No. 6 Coco Gauff — Pegula's doubles partner - who cruised past No. 9 seed Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic with a 6-3, 6-0 victory following a pair of lengthy rain delays.

World No. 1 Iga Swiatek of Poland survived the delays and beat Czech No. 14 seed Karolina Muchova 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 in a two-hour, 47-minute match to reach the quarterfinals.

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"You have to find energy even though we've been here since 9 a.m.," Swiatek said. "For sure, it was a pretty extraordinary day, and I don't think I've had such a situation in my career so there is the opportunity to learn something new and see what I'm capable (of) — even though we played this match, like, three times."

On Friday, Swiatek will oppose American qualifier Danielle Collins, who swept Canadian Leylah Fernandez 6-2, 6-3. Collins won 70.3 percent of her first serve and saved 7 of 10 break points.

In other action Thursday, No. 10 Daria Kasatkina of Russia defeated Marie Bouzkova of the Czech Republic in straight sets 6-3, 6-4 after their match was also interrupted by rain.

No. 3 Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan advanced to the quarterfinals with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over American Sloane Stephens. Rybakina will face Kasatkina on Friday.

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Thursday night's late match between No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus and No. 15 Liudmila Samsonova of Russia was moved to Friday.

Also on Friday, Swiss 12th seed Belinda Bencic will take on seventh-seeded Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic.

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—Field Level Media