Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula are one of the toughest duos in doubles, but on Friday they were due to face off in singles. And only one of them would get their ticket to the semi-finals.

This post will ultimately go to Jessica Pegula. The 29-year-old American defeated her partner and friend in three sets of 6-2, 5-7, 7-5 on Friday afternoon on center court at the IGA stadium. The two athletes warmly shook hands with a smile after the duel. No hard feelings!

Pegula, 4e seeded, therefore reaches the semi-finals, she who has not yet won a singles tournament this year. She will face Iga Swiatek, who eliminated Danielle Collins.

PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS

Coco Gauff

Gauff, who triumphed at the Washington tournament last week, sees her six-game winning streak come to an end against whoever knows her best.

“I started off a bit slow, but I was able to turn the tide a bit in the second set. In the third set, I think I could have served a little better, been more combative and made fewer unforced errors,” mentioned Gauff.

The two players were to meet at the end of the day on Friday to take part in the quarter-finals in doubles, but a little less than an hour after the end of their duel in singles, they decided to withdraw. This way, Gauff confirmed to the media, Pegula will be able to focus on their semi-final on Saturday.

Had the doubles match gone ahead as planned, it would have been the first time Gauff and Pegula had played against each other before teaming up for a doubles duel on the same day.

When informed, Pegula did not hide a certain astonishment.

“I thought we played together at Eastbourne. […] Interesting ! I didn’t know it was the first (time),” she first mentioned.

“Perhaps we are more often in the same section of the paintings. It’s always a possibility. It was a long game and the winner was going to have to play first tomorrow (in the semi-finals). It made the decision more difficult,” explained Pegula.

-With The Canadian Press