“Shocking Upset! Jessica Pegula Stuns World No. 1 Swiatek to Set Up Epic US Open Final Showdown with Sabalenka!”

Jessica Pegula, the 30-year-old American, finally broke her quarter-final curse by defeating World No. 1 Iga Swiatek at the US Open. Before this match, Pegula had lost all six of her previous Grand Slam quarter-final appearances. However, she overcame that hurdle with an impressive 6-2, 6-4 victory, advancing to her first semi-final in a major tournament.

 

Reflecting on her long-awaited breakthrough, Pegula said, “There have been so many times, and I just kept losing. I know everyone keeps asking me about it, but I was like, ‘I don’t know what else to do. I just need to get there again and win the match.’ So thank God I was able to do it. And finally, I can say, Semi-finalist.”

 

In her next match, Pegula will face unseeded Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic, who defeated Beatriz Haddad Maia 6-1, 6-4 to reach the semi-finals for the second consecutive year.

 

Another American, Emma Navarro, will also make her Grand Slam semi-final debut. She is set to play against No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka, who won the Australian Open titles in the past two years.

 

On the men’s side, two Americans—Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe—will face each other in the semi-finals, marking the first time since 2003 that multiple Americans have reached the semis in both the men’s and women’s draws at the US Open.

 

Jannik Sinner will take on Jack Draper in the other men’s semi-final. Sinner defeated Daniil Medvedev 6-2, 1-6, 6-1, 6-4, while Draper eliminated Alex de Minaur.

 

Pegula’s dominant performance surprised many, but she remained confident, saying, “I knew I could do it. I just had to execute my game and not get frustrated.” Swiatek struggled with her serve and committed 41 unforced errors, 22 of which came from her forehand. Pegula’s defensive skills and consistency proved too much for the Polish star, who admitted, “I just made too many mistakes.”

 

Pegula’s victory was even more impressive given Swiatek’s strong serving throughout the tournament, where she had lost only two service games in her previous four matches. However, Pegula managed to break Swiatek’s serve three times in the first set, setting the tone for her victory.

 

Despite the pressure, Pegula remained calm and focused, while Swiatek showed visible frustration during the match. After 15 minutes of battling in the second set, Pegula secured the win, marking a significant milestone in her career.