Tennis star Jessica Pegula has made history by reaching her first grand slam final at the U.S. Open, realizing a “childhood dream” after defeating Karolina Muchova in a challenging three-set match.
Pegula expressed her joy, acknowledging the hard work that brought her to this moment. “It’s what I wanted when I was a kid. It’s a lot of work, a lot of hard work put in. You couldn’t even imagine how much goes into it… I’m just happy to be in a final, but obviously, I come here to want to win the title,” she said following her victory.
Before this breakthrough, Pegula had struggled in her attempts to reach a grand slam semi-final, being unsuccessful in six prior attempts. However, she achieved a significant upset by overpowering the top-seeded Iga Swiatek with a score of 6-2, 6-4 in the quarterfinals. Despite a strong performance in that match, Pegula initially struggled in her upcoming match against Muchova.
“I came out flat, but she was playing unbelievable. She made me look like a beginner. I was about to burst into tears because it was embarrassing. She was destroying me,” Pegula remarked.
Despite losing the first set 1-6 and facing difficulties in the second, Pegula fought back, winning the next two sets 6-4, 6-2. After falling behind in the second set and with her opponent failing to capitalize on a critical point, Pegula regained her composure. “I was thinking, alright that was kind of lucky. You’re still in this. And it comes down to small moments that flip momentum,” she shared.
Her impressive comeback has set up a final showdown against Aryna Sabalenka on Saturday, a rematch from the Cincinnati Open finals, where Sabalenka emerged victorious. Pegula is eager for another chance: “Hopefully, I can get some revenge out here.”