World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka from Belarus and American Jessica Pegula (WTA 6) will meet in the final of the US Open on Saturday.
After a disastrous start, Jessica Pegula prevailed 1:6, 6:4, 6:2 against the Czech Karolina Muchova (WTA 52) and is about to play the most important match of her career. In her first Grand Slam final, she will challenge Sabalenka, who reached the final in New York after beating the American number 13 seed Emma Navarro 6-3, 7-6 (7-2), as she did last year.
Pegula despite a disastrous start
Pegula was already 1:6, 0:2 and 30:40 down on her own serve. However, the 30-year-old fought back brilliantly in what was now a high-class match, turned the game around and emerged victorious after 2:12 hours. "I wanted to burst into tears. It was so embarrassing because she destroyed me," said Pegula about the start of the match. "I don't know how I managed to turn that game around."
Her siblings and father Terrence were in the stands cheering her on. The 73-year-old made his billion-dollar fortune in oil and gas, is one of the 400 richest people in the world according to Forbes magazine and owns a sports empire with the NFL team Buffalo Bills and the NHL team Buffalo Sabres. "I am so happy that I can share this moment with them," said Pegula, addressing her family.
Sabalenka will face an American in the final, as she did in 2023. Back then, she lost to crowd favorite Coco Gauff in three sets. This is the Belarusian's fourth appearance in a Grand Slam tournament final; she has won the Australian Open twice so far (2023 and 2024)
Sabalenka passes the mood test
In contrast to her defeat in the final a year ago, Sabalenka was unimpressed by the crowd in the Arthur Ashe Stadium, which was mainly cheering on the American outsider Navarro, until shortly before the end of her match. At 5:4 in the second set, she served to win the match, but still started to tremble. In the tie-break, however, Sabalenka showed her extra class and nerves of steel and clinched victory with a cracking smash.
"Now you're cheering for me, that's a bit late," said Sabalenka jokingly to the cheering fans after the win. "Even though you were cheering for her, I had chicken skin, it was an incredible atmosphere. She played great and I'm really happy to have made it through this difficult semi-final."
Navarro had made it to the last four at a Grand Slam tournament for the first time and also defeated defending champion Gauff in New York.
SDA
