Jessica Pegula vs. Sorana Cirstea Prediction, Pick for US Open – Sunday, September 6

We have a packed US Open slate on Sunday as the round of 16 gets underway. American Jessica Pegula is looking to make the US Open quarterfinals for the fourth time but will face an in-form Sorana Cirstea this afternoon.

Cirstea is set to retire at the end of the year, yet she's in the midst of a career-best season. Which player comes out on top today?

Below, we’ll break down our Jessica Pegula vs. Sorana Cirstea prediction, including recent form, match analysis, and a PrizePicks pick. The match is slated to start at approximately 4:40 p.m. ET on ABC/ESPN.

Make your US Open predictions on PrizePicks for Sunday’s match now!

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Jessica Pegula vs. Sorana Cirstea Prediction, Favorite for the US Open Round of 16

Below are the payouts for who will win Sunday’s Pegula vs. Cirstea match, via PrizePicks. 

Tennis on PrizePicks got its biggest upgrade yet just in time for the US Open. Users can now combine a player to win outright with Player Picks, including aces, total games won, and more! Click here for more information.

On PrizePicks Team Picks, a 2x payout represents a return of $200 on a $100 entry (or $20 on $10). A lower payout multiplier signals a higher implied probability of that result based on user picks.

Payouts are live at the time of writing and are subject to change. Tennis winner markets are available in 35 states.

Jessica Pegula vs. Sorana Cirstea Prediction for US Open – Sunday, September 6

Match Winner Payouts: Pegula 1.33x | Cirstea 3.12x
Tournament Round: Round of 16
2026 Record Entering the US Open: Pegula 45-12 | Cirstea 36-13
Head-to-Head Record: Pegula leads 3-1
Scheduled Time: 4:40 p.m. ET
How to Watch: ABC/ESPN

Jessica Pegula cruised through her first two matches in straight sets, but she faced some adversity in the third round, dropping a lopsided first set to Leylah Fernandez before rallying for a 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 win.

Despite the tough match, Pegula is now 13-3 on hard courts this summer, and she finished runner-up in both Cincinnati and Washington. Her only losses have come against Alexandra Eala, Diana Shnaider, and Coco Gauff, all players presently ranked inside the top 20.

For the season, she’s up to a stellar 32-7 on the surface, with highlights including a semifinal finish at the Australian Open and a title run in Dubai.

Meanwhile, Sorana Cirstea is retiring at the end of the year, but the 36-year-old might want to reconsider, as she’s actually in the midst of the best season of her lengthy career.

Cirstea won a title at Cluj‑Napoca in February and then really took off during the clay swing, going 14-4 and reaching the quarterfinals at this year’s French Open, marking her third career Grand Slam quarterfinal.

Perhaps her biggest achievement this season is breaking into the top 20 for the first time, reaching a career-high No. 17 world ranking.

Cirstea has brought her A-game to the US Open, as she hasn’t lost a set through three rounds, most notably knocking out two-time major finalist Jasmine Paolini 6-3, 6-3 on Friday.

The Romanian is now 22-7 on hard courts this season, and she was a US Open quarterfinalist in 2023. She figures to be a tough test for Pegula.

These two actually faced off just a few weeks back in Cincinnati, a match that Pegula won 6-2, 4-6, 7-5. While their encounters have been spread out across the years, the American has now won three in a row against Cirstea.  

According to Tennis Abstract’s Elo ratings, Pegula ranks fifth on hard courts while Cirstea is 16th. That shakes out to the American showing a 71.0% chance of winning the match.

Ultimately, despite Cirstea’s fantastic final season, Pegula would appear to have the edge on Sunday. She’s coming off a particularly strong summer on hard courts, holds the head-to-head advantage, and will enjoy home-court advantage in front of the New York crowd.

Make your Pegula vs. Cirstea US Open prediction on PrizePicks now!

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Jessica Pegula vs. Sorana Cirstea for the US Open on Sunday

Pegula vs. Cirstea Pick – 21.5 Total Games

When these two played their three-setter in Cincinnati, their match totaled 30 games. Pegula’s third-round match against Fernandez reached 26 total games.

Including Cirstea, Pegula faced four top-20 opponents at the Cincinnati Open. Three of those four matches went to a deciding third set.

This season on hard courts, Pegula has won 62.4% of her service points, but Cirstea is not far behind at 61.5%. Likewise, the American has won 45.1% of her return points compared to 44.3% for the Romanian. 

Although Cirstea is 1-7 versus top-10 players this year, five of those matches have gone three sets.

Pick Pegula to win + total games on PrizePicks for higher payouts!

Make Your US Open Predictions Today on PrizePicks

We should have a competitive matchup on our hands between Jessica Pegula and Sorana Cirstea. Which player will move on to the quarterfinals?

Don’t wait until Sunday’s matches start — make your US Open predictions on PrizePicks now.

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Pick your players, predict More or Less on their stats like games won or aces, or make match winner predictions with PrizePicks, available in 35 states!

Stay locked in on Playbook for daily US Open predictions, tennis picks, and PrizePicks analysis throughout the tournament.