Jessica Pegula reached the third round of the 2026 Australian Open after beating fellow American and doubles partner McCartney Kessler 6-0, 6-2 in just 58 minutes. While the win was convincing, it came with mixed feelings. The sixth seed showed one of her most dominant performances in Melbourne, but it wasn’t easy facing a friend.
Jessica Pegula Opens Up After Facing McCartney Kessler at Australian Open
Pegula has been a regular presence in the deeper rounds of the Australian Open, with quarterfinal runs in 2021, 2022, and 2023. The world No. 6 has been sharp since the beginning, winning both rounds in straight sets.
However, her second-round match was against fellow compatriot Kessler, who was also her doubles partner in the Grand Slam. When Pegula was asked about whether she felt “awkward” facing Kessler, she said, “I don’t think it was that awkward. I mean, it kind of, I think, sucked more than anything.”
The situation was made tougher by the fact that the pair had lost their first-round doubles match the day before to Gabriela Dabrowski and Luisa Stefani. “We’ve tried to hook up for doubles so many times, and I think we were just joking. Like, of course, the time we actually are in the draw and ready to play, we play each other the next round in singles. So, it’s always tough, but she’s great. Her team’s great, super cool family. So you know, no worries,” Pegula added.
Speaking later in her press conference, Pegula said matches like this are “always tricky” when they involve someone she knows and likes. She recalled several missed chances and mix-ups that had delayed them from playing doubles together.
“There was like a miscommunication one time. One time, I thought we signed in, but we didn’t sign in… or actually, in Brisbane, we signed in and didn’t get in. So there’s like a lot of these things. And then finally, we got to play with each other. We’re in the draw. We’re all good. Everyone’s good to play, and we play each other’s second round,” Pegula said.
Pegula called the timing “just kind of unfortunate,” and said that both players would much rather see each other do well in singles without having to face one another so early.
Pegula Set for Third-Round Against Oksana Selekhmeteva
Pegula is now getting ready for a third-round clash with unseeded Russian Oksana Selekhmeteva.
The two have never played each other, making this a new challenge for both. Pegula comes in full of confidence after back-to-back straight-set domination. Her recent form has been good as well, especially on hard courts.
23-year-old Selekhmeteva, on the other hand, has caught attention by defeating 2025 semifinalist Paula Badosa 6-4, 6-4 in the second round after winning her opening match in straight sets. The young Russian qualifier has shown plenty of fight.
However, Selekhmeteva’s experience at the Grand Slam is limited, as this is her second main-draw appearance. Her current ranking is 101, and her career-high is 96, achieved in November 2025.
Biggest win on the biggest stage 👏
Oksana Selekhmeteva downs last year’s semifinalist Badosa in straight sets 🙌#AO26 pic.twitter.com/Szym4LfyfA
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 22, 2026
Due to her consistency in the top ranks, greater experience, and strong return game, Pegula holds a clear edge. PFSN’s exclusive interactive simulator also gives her an 88% chance of winning, possibly a straight-sets victory. Expect Pegula to control the rallies and take advantage when Selekhmeteva shows any signs of inconsistency under pressure.
