Pegula tops Cirstea to reach US Open quarter-finals

Former US Open finalist Jessica Pegula defeated Sorana Cirstea of Romania in straight sets Sunday to advance to the quarter-finals at Flushing Meadows.

Third-seeded Pegula, one of the players who could supplant Aryna Sabalenka atop the world rankings in New York, needed 84 minutes to polish off the 6-3, 6-4.

Both sets followed a similar pattern, an aggressive Pegula jumping out to big leads before the Romanian cleaned up her play enough to narrow the lead, but not enough to catch up to the American.

Pegula wrapped up the first set in 38 minutes with a break of Cirstea's serve.

In the second Cirstea twice recovered breaks, but Pegula broke her one more time to seal the win.

The American clinched the victory when she got the upper hand in a rally and eventually forced an error out of Cirstea, who bowed out of her final Grand Slam having said she'll retire at the end of the season.

Pegula will next play either fellow American Emma Navarro, seeded 26th, or 21st-seeded Anna Kalinskaya of Russia.

Pegula will have to go all the way to a first Grand Slam title to have any chance of claiming the world number one ranking. World number two Elena Rybakina is assured of ascending if she reaches the quarter-finals, even if Sabalenka wins he third straight US Open crown.