Jessica Pegula reached a major career milestone by defeating world No. 1 Iga Swiatek in the US Open quarterfinals, securing her first-ever Grand Slam semifinal appearance with a commanding 6-2 6-4 victory. Her win ensured the first occurrence of two American Grand Slam semifinalists in both the men’s and women’s singles since the 2003 US Open.
Wednesday’s US Open victory was particularly meaningful for Pegula, who had previously gone 0-6 in Grand Slam quarterfinals. With the pressure mounting and constant questions about her inability to break past this stage, she finally got her breakthrough in New York. “Finally, I can say, ‘Semifinalist,'” the sixth seed exclaimed, addressing the crowd with visible relief after securing the win. Her victory ends Swiatek’s dominance, who had not lost a single service game in her previous three matches.
In the quarterfinal, Swiatek struggled from the outset, as Pegula broke her serve two times for a 4-0 early lead. Swiatek’s forehand, usually a weapon, became her downfall, contributing to an astonishing 41 unforced errors, 22 of which came from that side. Pegula, on the other hand, played an exceptionally clean match, committing only 22 unforced errors and using her sharp defense to make Swiatek work for every point. Swiatek’s dispair was evident as she visibly showed signs of frustration, smacking her Tecnifibre racquet against the top of the net and missing key opportunities to shift the momentum.
With this victory, Pegula now faces unseeded Karolina Muchova, another player who has yet to drop a set in the tournament. Both women are aiming to reach their first-ever Grand Slam final. Pegula has already defeated Muchova earlier in the year and will be looking to replicate that success, but she remains cautious, recognizing the threat Muchova poses.
Pegula’s win not only boosts her career but also shines a spotlight on American tennis, making this the first Grand Slam to feature two American men’s and women’s singles semifinalists since the 2003 US Open (Andre Agassi and Andy Roddick; Lindsay Davenport and Jennifer Capriati).
With Emma Navarro facing world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka in the other women’s semifinal, and Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe battling in the men’s, the US Open has truly become a platform for American players to shine. Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe will play one another on Friday in the first Grand Slam semifinal between two American men since the 2005 US Open (Andre Agassi d. Robby Ginepri), with the winner becoming the first American men’s singles finalist at a Grand Slam since Roddick at 2009 Wimbledon and at the US Open since Roddick in 2006.
