Elisabetta Cocciaretto comes close to a feat with No. 1 on the scoreboard

Elisabetta Cocciaretto paraded the feat in the round of 16 of the Charleston WTA 500: the Azzurra (seeded number 14) came within two points of victory, but suffered a comeback by the number 1 on the scoreboard, Jessica Pegula, who won 1-6 6-1 7-6(1) after more than two hours of battle. In the quarters, the U.S. will face Russian Diana Shnaider (number 7 in the seeding).

The first set was dominated by Cocciaretto, who was much more concrete than her rival: she nullified three break points at 1-1 and, at the first useful opportunity, snatched serve for 3-1. The Azzurra continued to be lucid in the key moments, cancelled another counterbreak chance and went up 4-1, before posting a second break that made it 5-1. She then closed the partial 6-1 in 31 minutes, confirming solidity on serve as well.

In the second set the inertia changed completely: Pegula raised the level, found the break in the fourth game and took control of the partial. She consolidated the lead, then placed a second break for a 5-1 lead and closed without conceding anything, tying the score with a clear 6-1 in 29 minutes.

In the third set Cocciaretto started strong and immediately sprinted to a 3-0 lead, maintaining the advantage until 4-1. From there, however, came the reaction of the American, who recovered to 4-4. The Italian resisted in the most delicate moments (saving herself several times from disadvantageous situations), but could not avoid the tie-break. Here Pegula immediately took the lead (3-0), stretched it to 5-1, and closed 7-1.

First images meanwhile of Jannik Sinner on court in Monte Carlo to prepare for the Masters 1000 starting in a few days. Coming off double American success in Indian Wells and Miami, achieved without losing a single set, the Azzurro approaches the clay-court season at home in the Principality, where he has never won but has always shined, reaching the final stages of the tournament.