No. 6 seed Jessica Pegula pulled off a surprise victory over top-seeded Iga Swiatek in the quarterfinals of the US Open on Wednesday night, becoming the fourth American to secure a spot in the tournament’s semifinals.
Following her win, Pegula achieved her first-ever semifinal appearance in a Grand Slam tournament. She will be competing against unseeded Karolína Muchová at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Thursday, joining fellow Americans Emma Navarro, Frances Tiafoe, and Taylor Fritz.
Navarro, seeded 13th, is set to face off against No. 2 seed Aryna Sabalenka in the other women’s semifinal. The winners of Thursday’s matches will advance to the championship round on Saturday.
On the men’s side, Tiafoe and Fritz are scheduled to compete in a semifinal match on Friday, guaranteeing an American presence in the championship round, a first in a Grand Slam event since 2009. No. 1 seed Jannik Sinner will be up against No. 25 seed Jack Draper in the other men’s semifinal, following his victory over No. 5 Daniil Medvedev with a score of 6-2, 1-6, 6-1, 6-4.
Pegula’s Dominance
Pegula took charge right from the beginning of the match, securing a break on Swiatek’s serve in the opening game. She continued to dominate, breaking Swiatek again to take a 3-0 lead in the first set. Pegula maintained her hold on the set, not allowing a break and eventually winning it 6-2. She capitalized on Swiatek’s 18 unforced errors and demonstrated her control throughout the match.
Despite Swiatek’s efforts in the second set, Pegula managed to break her serve once again and secure a 5-4 lead. With the match on her racket, Pegula clinched the victory on her third match point, marking a significant milestone in her career.
A Long-Awaited Achievement
Pegula’s win against Swiatek, improving her head-to-head record to 6-4, prevented Swiatek from contending for her sixth Grand Slam title. Swiatek, a previous US Open and French Open champion, will retain her world No. 1 ranking despite the loss.
Reflecting on her breakthrough victory, Pegula expressed her relief and excitement at finally reaching the semifinals of a Grand Slam event after multiple attempts. She will face Muchová in the semifinals, while Navarro and Sabalenka will also battle it out for a spot in the championship match.