(New York) Jessica Pegula rebounded from a poor start at the US Open tennis tournament on Thursday, coming from behind to beat Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic 1-6, 6-4, 6-2 and earn her first Grand Slam final spot.
The sixth seed, from New York, has won 15 of her last 16 matches and will face second-seeded Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus for the title on Saturday.
PHOTO ROBERT DEUTSCH, USA TODAY SPORTS VIA REUTERS CON
Aryna Sabalenka reacts with emotion after winning the duel.
Sabalenka will play in a second consecutive final at Flushing Meadows after beating American Emma Navarro 6-3, 7-6 (2).
Things did not look promising for Pegula at the start of this duel: Muchova, a finalist at Roland Garros in 2023 but excluded from the seeding due to an absence of around 10 months due to wrist surgery, used all her versatility and creativity, traits that make her difficult to face.
“I came out flat, but she played amazing. She made me look like a beginner,” Pegula said. “I was about to burst into tears because it was embarrassing. She was destroying me.”
PHOTO SHANNON STAPLETON, REUTERS
Karolina Muchova
Muchova won eight of the first nine games and was one point away from leading 3-0 in the second set. But she couldn’t capitalize on a break point, missing a volley, and everything changed.
“I was like, ‘Well. That was pretty lucky. I’m still in the game.’ It came down to a few little moments that changed the momentum.”
Muchova, who had not missed a shot in the first set, quickly seemed unable to make one after that game. Pegula then got going, showing the confidence that allowed her to eliminate Polish favorite Iga Swiatek in the quarter-finals on Wednesday.
Pegula was 0-6 in major tournament quarterfinals before the win. Muchova was making her fourth Grand Slam semifinal appearance, including appearances in France and the United States last year.
PHOTO ROBERT DEUTSCH, USA TODAY SPORTS
Emma Navarro
Earlier, Sabalenka won the last seven points of her match against Navarro to prevail. She is seeking a third major title after winning the last two Australian Opens.
The 26-year-old second seed lost to American Coco Gauff last year at Flushing Meadows in front of a crowd that loudly supported the home favourite.
This time, the Belarusian brushed aside Navarro – another American – without letting the crowd play a role until the game tightened late in the second set. Knowing she was going to face an American in the semifinals, Sabalenka had joked after her previous match that she would try to win the crowd over to her side by buying their drinks.
“Last year was a very difficult experience. A very hard lesson. Today, during the match, I said to myself: ‘No, no, no, Aryna. This will not happen again. You have to control your emotions. You have to focus on yourself.’” Sabalenka said.
“There were people who supported me. I tried to focus on them. There’s my team. There’s my family. ‘Focus on yourself and try—no, don’t try, fight for it.’”
Navarro never gave up in the second set, even though she trailed for most of the set. She broke when Sabalenka was serving for the win at 5-4. But in the tiebreaker, in which she took a 2-0 lead, Sabalenka took over, taking all the remaining points.