Vondrousova Wins Final Five Games to Reach Wimbledon Semifinals by Beating Pegula

Czech Republic's Marketa Vondrousova speaks after beating US player Jessica Pegula during their women's singles quarter-finals tennis match on the ninth day of the 2023 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 11, 2023. (AFP)
Czech Republic's Marketa Vondrousova speaks after beating US player Jessica Pegula during their women's singles quarter-finals tennis match on the ninth day of the 2023 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 11, 2023. (AFP)
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Vondrousova Wins Final Five Games to Reach Wimbledon Semifinals by Beating Pegula

Czech Republic's Marketa Vondrousova speaks after beating US player Jessica Pegula during their women's singles quarter-finals tennis match on the ninth day of the 2023 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 11, 2023. (AFP)
Czech Republic's Marketa Vondrousova speaks after beating US player Jessica Pegula during their women's singles quarter-finals tennis match on the ninth day of the 2023 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 11, 2023. (AFP)

Marketa Vondrousova won five straight games in the final set to beat fourth-seeded Jessica Pegula 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 and reach the semifinals at Wimbledon on Tuesday.

Vondrousova, a left-handed Czech player who reached the French Open final in 2019, trailed 4-1 in the third set but didn't lose another game after that.

“I’m just trying to stay in every game. It can change pretty quickly,” Vondrousova said. “She got so much better in the second set. She was pushing me today.”

Pegula is now 0-6 in Grand Slam quarterfinals. The 29-year-old American was playing at this stage at Wimbledon for the first time.

Vondrousova had won only four matches on grass heading into the tournament at the All England Club. But she has won five in a row on the surface over the last eight days.

“My best result here was second round. It’s amazing. I’m just loving grass now,” Vondrousova said.

The victory for Vondrousova is her fourth over a seeded player at this year's Wimbledon tournament. She beat No. 12 Veronika Kudermetova in the second round, No. 20 Donna Vekic in the third round and No. 32 Marie Bouzkova in the fourth round.

Pegula was leading 3-1 in the third set when play was suspended so that the roof over No. 1 Court could be closed with rain approaching. Pegula then held serve in the next game to lead 4-1 before Vondrousova took over.

Top-seeded Iga Swiatek was playing Elina Svitolina on Centre Court in another quarterfinal match. The four-time major champion is playing in the Wimbledon quarterfinals for the first time.

The winner of that match will face Vondrousova in the semifinals.

Later Tuesday in the men's quarterfinals, seven-time Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic will face Andrey Rublev on Centre Court and Jannik Sinner will play Roman Safiullin on No. 1 Court.



ROSHN Partners with Aramco to Build Stadium in Khobar with Capacity for 47,000 Spectators

ROSHN said the stadium is expected to be completed and operational by 2026. (SPA)
ROSHN said the stadium is expected to be completed and operational by 2026. (SPA)
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ROSHN Partners with Aramco to Build Stadium in Khobar with Capacity for 47,000 Spectators

ROSHN said the stadium is expected to be completed and operational by 2026. (SPA)
ROSHN said the stadium is expected to be completed and operational by 2026. (SPA)

ROSHN, Saudi Arabia’s leading national real estate developer and a Public Investment Fund company, announced a collaboration with Aramco, one of the world’s leading integrated energy and chemicals companies, to build Aramco Stadium, a 47,000-seat stadium in Khobar, in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Region.

In a statement on Wednesday, ROSHN said the stadium is expected to be completed and operational by 2026 and will host both national and international events, including the 2027 AFC Asian Cup, which will take place in Saudi Arabia in January of that year.

The facility’s design is influenced by the Arabian Gulf and the shape of the whirlpools, which regularly occur off the coast.

Aramco Stadium will be multifunctional, catering to both entertainment and sports activities. It will boast state-of-the-art amenities, conforming to the highest standards to ensure inclusiveness, safety, and sustainability. The venue itself is set to be a leading national sports and entertainment destination.

Promoting sports is central to the Quality-of-Life Program and Saudi Vision 2030, with initiatives such as the Aramco Stadium set to boost mass participation, improve the country’s performance in international competitions, and grow the sports economy.