Bitter-sweet as Pegula crushes doubles partner at Australian Open

Sixth seed Pegula, who made the last eight at Melbourne Park in 2021, 2022 and 2023, blasted past her fellow American 6-0, 6-2 on Rod Laver Arena. Her reward is a third-round clash with unseeded Russian Oksana Selekhmeteva who bundled out last year's semi-finalist Paula Badosa 6-4, 6-4. It was a bitter-sweet victory for the 31-year-old, with Kessler a friend and on-court partner. "Always tricky when you have to play someone that you know and that you like and also that you're playing doubles with," she said.