Jessica Pegula came from a set down to sensationally reach a maiden Grand Slam final by defeating Karolina Muchova at the US Open.
After fellow American Emma Navarro was knocked out by Aryna Sabalenka, Pegula struggled to get into rhythm early against the effective Muchova but sensationally recovered to set up a thriller. The world No. 6 overcame a difficult start to win 1-6, 6-4, 6-2 and reach her first Grand Slam final.
Having only returned to the WTA in June after undergoing wrist surgery, Muchova – beaten by eventual champion Coco Gauff in the semis a year ago – enjoyed an excellent run in New York. She defeated four-time major champion Naomi Osaka in the second round, fifth-seed Jasmine Paolini in the fourth, and Brazil’s 22nd-seed Beatriz Haddad Maia in the quarterfinals
However, she was undone against Pegula, who sensationally defeated world No. 1 Iga Swiatek to reach the semis. The home favorite started slowly, though; she suffered a pair of unforced errors as Muchova held serve, before Pegula did the same to steady the nerves.
Tied 1-1, Muchova fought off three break points in a marathon game. The two women traded blows and both showcased their respective strengths, yet Muchova appeared sharper. The Czech didn’t need to do much to secure the first break of the match; three unforced errors handed her the opportunity.
Muchova made light work of Pegula in the first set, closing it out after just seven games and 28 minutes. It was the first set dropped by the American all tournament.
In their previous and only meeting, Pegula dropped the first set and still went on to win in Cincinnati. But the stakes were higher this time around; Thursday’s contest was a long-awaited first Grand Slam semifinal for Pegula, who had lost her previous six quarterfinal contests.
Since her second-round exit from Wimbledon, Pegula – whose parents own the NFL’s Buffalo Bills – has been in sensational form. However, she struggled as Muchova found success at the net while also dominating in baseline rallies. She broke the despondent Pegula, whose body language appeared to show a fractued belief, even as the crowd tried to lift her spirits. But the tide turned in the third game.
Pegula displayed the fight and confidence her game had lacked, staving off a break point to hold to the delight of the Arthur Ashe crowd. Pegula followed it up by breaking Muchova to tie the second set, and took a 3-2 lead by holding again.
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Suddenly, Muchova was the one struggling to find her form while Pegula exuded belief. The American squandered three break points in a titanic sixth game, but took the fourth when Muchova hit the net. Pegula let out a yell and raised a clenched fist in celebration. The body language had flipped.
However, the topsy-turvy semifinal continued as Muchova broke back and held serve, tying the second set at 4-4. Pegula held serve and took a second set point to tie the match. Momentum had shifted, and Pegula flew out the gate in the all-important third set.
In a reverse of the first set and much of the second, Pegula stormed to a 2-0 advantage while Muchova yelled at her box in frustration. The 30-year-old then held before the pair exchanged games, with Pegula happy to hold onto her advantage en route to securing a place in a major final for the first time in her career.
Pegula will face Sabalenka in the women’s 2024 US Open final.
