USA’s Jessica Pegula reacts after a point won against Czech Republic’s Karolina Muchova during their … [+] women’s semifinals match on day eleven of the US Open tennis tournament at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City, on September 5, 2024. (Photo by KENA BETANCUR / AFP) (Photo by KENA BETANCUR/AFP via Getty Images)
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Coming into this U.S. Open, Jessica Pegula had never been past the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam tournament.
Now she’s marched all the way to the finals of her home Slam.
The No. 6 seed overcome some early struggles to defeat unseeded Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic, 1-6, 6-4, 6-2 to advance to Saturday’s final. Terry Pegula, Jessica’s billionaire father and the owner of the Buffalo Bills and Sabres, watched nervously from a box. Pegula’s husband, brother and sister were in her box.
In the final, Pegula will face No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka, who dispatched No. 13 American Emma Navarro 6-3, 7-6(2) in the first semifinal to reach her second straight U.S. Open final.
“First of all, I’m just happy I was able to figure this match out and turn it around on such a big stage,” Pegula told ESPN’s Rennae Stubbs on court.
“But two, playing Aryna is going to be really tough. She showed how tough she is and why she’s probably the favorite to win this tournament. It will be a rematch of Cincinnati so hopefully I can get some revenge out here. But happy to have a day off. It’s kind of crazy that we’re playing each other again in the finals, but I think it just shows how much great hardcourt tennis we’ve been playing.
“She’s going to be tough to beat, but that’s what the finals are for, so I’m ready.”
Sabalenka is 5-2 against Pegula, including a straight-sets win last month in the final of the Cincinnati Open.
Sabalenka is seeking her third major title and is 26-1 in major hardcourt matches since the start of 2023.
Pegula has been red-hot on hardcourts this summer herself, winning the Canadian Open, reaching the final in Cincinnati and now the U.S. Open final. She has won 15 of her last 16 matches.
An American man, either No. 12 Taylor Fritz or No. 20 Frances Tiafoe, is also guaranteed to reach the men’s final following their all-American semifinal on Friday (7 p.m., ESPN).
Muchova, the French Open finalist in 2023, raced out to a 6-1, 2-0 lead and had a break point as Pegula was unable to match the magic she brought 24 hours earlier in her win over world No. 1 Iga Swiatek.
But Pegula broke for 4-2 and then won the second set when Muchova double-faulted on break point.
“It comes down to really small moments that flip momentum,” Pegula said. “I was playing really flat but she was playing unbelievable. She made me look like a beginner, I was about to burst into tears because it was embarrassing, like she was destroying me.
“And I was able to find some adrenaline, find my legs and then at the end of the second set, start of the third set, I started to play how I wanted to play. It took a while, but I don’t know how I turned that around, honestly.”
Pegula took charge early in the third set, taking a 2-0 lead with a swinging forehand volley winner for the break.
“It’s amazing how well she’s playing,” Rennae Stubbs said on ESPN of Pegula’s turnaround.
With Muchova serving to stay in the match at 2-5 in the third, she fell behind 0-40 and finally won it on the second match point when Muchova hit a forehand wide.
Pegula won 16 of the final 20 games.
TOPSHOT – Belarus’s Aryna Sabalenka celebrates her victory over USA’s Emma Navarro during their … [+] women’s semifinals match on day eleven of the US Open tennis tournament at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City, on September 5, 2024. (Photo by KENA BETANCUR / AFP) (Photo by KENA BETANCUR/AFP via Getty Images)
AFP via Getty Images
In the first match, Sabalenka, the pre-tournament favorite, blistered her forehand all over the court and banged her serve at speeds up to 116 mph. She finished with 34 winners and eight aces while breaking Navarro three times.
Navarro, who, like Pegula, is the daugther of a billionaire, was appearing in her first major semifinal.
“Yeah, it was a really amazing experience being out there on Ashe playing an opponent like her,” said Navarro, the former NCAA singles champion from the University of Virginia. “Obviously it’s disappointing to not be able to get the win today, and it looked like I kind of got my teeth into it there at the end of the second set and I felt I could definitely push it to a third. Wasn’t able to do so.
“But it was an incredible experience and amazing atmosphere. She played really good when it came down to the wire, and I didn’t play as well.
“Yeah, I hope to be back, for sure.”
It was a breakthrough tournament for Navarro, who scored her second win this year at a major over defending U.S. Open champion Coco Gauff and pushed two-time major champ Sabalenka in the second set.
USA’s Emma Navarro plays a backhand return against Belarus’s Aryna Sabalenkaduring their women’s … [+] semifinals match on day eleven of the US Open tennis tournament at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City, on September 5, 2024. (Photo by KENA BETANCUR / AFP) (Photo by KENA BETANCUR/AFP via Getty Images)
AFP via Getty Images
At 23, she has a bright future ahead.
“I was kind of joking a little bit with my team, but a little bit serious, as well, that I was looking to win one match at the U.S. Open, and now to be leaving having made a run and gotten to the semifinals, and now I’m a top-10 player,” said Navarro, who was born in New York City. “It’s pretty crazy, and I think it’s a testament to a lot of hard work.”
She added: “You know, kind of talking about winning a Grand Slam, it’s something that even just a few months ago was not really on my radar, so to now be in a position where I’m thinking about and working towards winning Grand Slams is exciting. It’s motivating.”
A year ago, Sabalenka lost to Gauff in the final as the crowd rooted for the American teenager. This time around, the crowd rooted for Navarro to extend the match and pull the upset, but Sabalenka was too mentally tough to let the fans bother her.
“Guys, now you’re cheering for me,” she joked after the match. “Wow. It’s a bit too late.”
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Publish date : 2024-09-05 16:27:00
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