In an all-American clash at the Adelaide International on Wednesday, No.2 seed Jessica Pegula fended off lucky loser Bernarda Pera 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 to reach the quarterfinals.

World No.5 Pegula needed 2 hours and 12 minutes to battle back from a set down and triumph over 69th-ranked Pera in the second round of the WTA 500 event. Pegula improved to 2-0 against Pera, with her previous win also coming Down Under, at the 2022 Australian Open.

"[Pera] was hitting unbelievable shots in the first set, I didn’t really think there was much more I could do," Pegula said on court. "I just tried to change a couple of things, and stay relaxed, not get frustrated that she was playing some great tennis. She’s always very tough."

Following her first-round bye, Pegula, one of the stars of Netflix's "Break Point," builds her 2024 win-loss record to 2-1 in her second event of the season. As part of the defending champion American team at last week's United Cup, Pegula went 1-1, beating Ajla Tomljanovic but suffering an upset loss to Katie Boulter.

On Tuesday in Adelaide, Pegula went only 1-for-10 on break points in the first set as Pera's powerful left-handed game led to the unseeded player's early advantage. However, Pegula found her rhythm in the second set, where she hit 11 winners to six unforced errors.

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Pegula edged ahead by a break at 4-3 in the third set, then gritted her way through a critical hold for 5-3 where she saved five break points. Pegula earned her sixth break of the day in the next game to close out Pera, who had beaten former World No.2 Paula Badosa in the first round.

Pegula will now face former Roland Garros finalist Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, who came from a set down to win an all-qualifier affair over Katerina Siniakova 2-6, 6-3, 6-2. Pegula won her only prior meeting with Pavlyuchenkova 1-6, 6-3, 6-2 in the second round of Montreal 2021.

No.6 seed Jelena Ostapenko will face Marta Kostyuk in the quarterfinals after both came through tight three-setters. Ostapenko triumphed over Caroline Garcia 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 in 2 hours and 41 minutes to seal her second win in as many meetings with the Frenchwoman.

Highlights: Ostapenko def. Garcia

Ukraine's Kostyuk was pushed to the limit in a clash of creative shotmaking, eventually quelling lucky loser Taylor Townsend 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 in 2 hours and 14 minutes. Both players sought to advance to the net at every possible opportunity, making for an absorbing battle of reflexes and hand skills.

Kostyuk had to hold off a late charge by the American, who trailed 3-0 in the third set only to level at 4-4. Despite Townsend finding clean winners on the first three match points she faced, Kostyuk ultimately converted her fourth in style with her third ace of the day.

Ostapenko was a 6-2, 6-3 victor in her only previous meeting with Kostyuk in the second round of Guadalajara last year.