Jessica Pegula achieved a significant milestone by reaching her first Grand Slam semifinals after defeating world No. 1 Iga Swiatek in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4, during a thrilling US Open quarterfinal on Wednesday night. This victory marks Pegula’s first win in a Grand Slam quarterfinal after six previous attempts.
Expressing her relief and joy to the audience, Pegula said, “There have been so many times, and I just kept losing. I just needed to get there again and, like, win the match. So thank God I was able to do it. And finally — finally! — I can say, ‘Semifinalist.’”
With Pegula’s triumph, the US Open will feature multiple American players in both the men’s and women’s semifinal rounds for the first time since 2003, when legends like Andre Agassi and Lindsay Davenport showcased their talents.
Seeded No. 6, the 30-year-old Pegula has been on an impressive run, winning 14 of her last 15 matches. She will face unseeded Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic in her semifinal debut on Thursday. Both players have reached this stage of the tournament without dropping a single set, a feat not accomplished by multiple women since 2014.
Discussing her upcoming match against Muchova, whom she defeated at the Cincinnati Open last month, Pegula acknowledged her opponent’s experience but stated, “I’ll worry about that, maybe, when I wake up in the morning.”
The other women’s semifinal will see No. 13 seed Emma Navarro take on No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka, who has won the last two Australian Open titles. Navarro recently eliminated Coco Gauff, last year’s champion, in the fourth round.
In the men’s draw, two Americans, No. 12 Taylor Fritz and No. 20 Frances Tiafoe, will face off on Friday.
Pegula’s win over Swiatek was notable for its lopsided scoreline, as she capitalized on Swiatek’s struggles, particularly with her serve and forehand, where Swiatek committed 22 of her 41 unforced errors. In contrast, Pegula managed to keep her unforced errors to just 22 throughout the match.
Pegula, who is part of a sports family with parents owning the NFL’s Buffalo Bills and NHL’s Buffalo Sabres, started strong, breaking Swiatek’s serve in her first two games. Swiatek, who had been dominant in previous matches, struggled with her accuracy, putting only 16.7% of her first serves in play early on.
While Pegula maintained her composure throughout the match, Swiatek exhibited visible frustration, reflecting the high stakes of the match.
“It’s never easy to play against Jess,” Swiatek admitted, acknowledging the challenges presented by Pegula’s playing style. Despite her struggles, Pegula displayed resilience, finally overcoming her previous quarterfinal woes.
Entering the match, Pegula was the only player in the WTA’s top 10 without a major semifinal appearance, holding an 0-6 record in Grand Slam quarterfinals. Her win against Swiatek not only breaks that streak but also positions her among the top contenders in the tournament.