Jessica Pegula banished her Grand Slam quarterfinal hoodoo in the best way – fittingly on home soil – yet one more task awaits her as history beckons tonight: beating Australian Open champion and world no. 2 Aryna Sabalenka, who beat her in Cincinnati three weeks ago and will be fired up to deliver after falling short in the Flushing Meadows finale against another American last season.
After thrilling run, only Sabalenka stands in Pegula’s path
Quarterfinal: Pegula [6] bt. Swiatek [1] 6-2, 6-4
JESSICA Pegula banished her 0-7 Major quarterfinal losing streak in style, stifling world no. 1 Iga Swiatek with startling efficiency before absorbing Karolina Muchova’s blistering best then recovering from 6-1, 2-0 down to secure a final berth where the ultimate test beckons: last year’s runner-up, an in-form Aryna Sabalenka.
Swiatek, who was made to work for her first-round win (6-4, 7-6) over Russian lucky loser Kamilla Rakhimova, hadn’t dropped a set all tournament but an error-strewn display saw her cough one up inside 40 minutes against an American who – much like doubles partner Coco Gauff last year – utilised the momentum in her favour.
The world no. 1’s first serve percentage (36%) was alarmingly low and her play jarringly sloppy, hitting 19 first set unforced errors – one every two minutes – as Pegula watched her unravel. By the time she cleaned up her work, there was no chance to settle into her usual rhythm as deep return balls proved problematic.
The home hopeful understandably got tight in the final minutes when serving it out, but unlike earlier this year at another Major tournament, there was to be no herculean recovery win for Swiatek on another evening where she didn’t get going quickly enough to make this eagerly-anticipated matchup a competitive clash.
“I kept losing every freaking time… but to those who went onto win the tournament. Everyone kept talking about it [her record] and I just said I don’t know what to do, just get there again and win, finally a semifinalist!
You guys [the crowd] carried me through that last game, I was tight – 65mph second serve – I knew I could do it, just execute and not get frustrated, she wasn’t doing things well that she normally does and I rode the momentum,” the 30-year-old said in her on-court interview. There was little time for celebration.
On the prospect of facing Muchova in the semis, she was honest when praising the Czech – who had missed a considerable portion of this season through a troublesome wrist issue which eventually required surgery.
“She’s so talented and athletic, I love how she doesn’t play… then comes back and beats everyone. I’m gonna have to bring my best tennis, I’ll worry about that when I wake up tomorrow,” the sixth seed remarked.
Semifinal: Pegula [6] bt. Muchova 1-6, 6-4, 6-2
Worry she certainly did, the 2023 French Open runner-up piercing her defences with ruthless efficiency for the best part of a set-and-a-half.
Whether it was a booming backhand, fiery forehand, devilish drop shot, clinical net play and inspired shot defence in their longer rally exchanges, Muchova made sure to mute the Arthur Ashe crowd and was full value for a one-sided scoreline which didn’t look like changing anytime soon. Yet the unknown makes tennis so beautiful.
One point can instantly change a match’s trajectory, as we saw 24 hours later when Frances Tiafoe’s physical reserves were flagging against Taylor Fritz and a 31-shot rally foreshadowed a drastic tide turn in their all-American semifinal.
Muchova had a point for a 3-0 lead, Pegula fought well and eventually won the ensuing game before the younger woman’s earlier tournament exploits – this her sixth consecutive match (of 15) of a condensed season – came to the fore.
Suddenly she looked weary and increasingly uncomfortable as Pegula found her second wind, extending service games before grabbing a foothold in a matchup that looked dead just minutes earlier. Commentators began overanalysing Muchova’s movement, sharp and steady beforehand, as it became more laboured with a demonstrative feel to proceedings. Who had written this latest plot twist?
Had she just hit a physical wall or was her quick play more purposeful than design, unwilling to engage in consistently gruelling points aware that her tank was nearer empty and needing a straight-sets victory? Regardless of what she wanted, Pegula powered her way into a deciding set and was helped by a drastic level drop-off as the new American no.1 began hitting deep groundstrokes with more conviction too.
Muchova mustered some excellent points and inspired defence to keep the American honest as the finish line neared again, but she held firm in pressure points after wrestling away an early break and by this stage, there was only one winner.
Final: Sabalenka [2] vs. Pegula [6] – Cincinnati final rematch from Aug. 19
Since losing in straight-sets against American talent Amanda Anisimova in Toronto on Aug. 10, reigning two-time Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka is riding a 11-match win streak – Swiatek, Pegula, newly-crowned Olympic gold medallist Qinwen Zheng and Liudmila Samsonova all feature among them – and there’s no reason why she shouldn’t clinch a belated US Open title on finals weekend tonight.
The word belated because, well, the Belarusian could’ve won the trophy outright on three separate occasions in previous seasons, most notably last year where she was a set away from glory before some errant play kickstarted Gauff’s rousing comeback.
If that sounds familiar, so too does the 2022 semifinal against Swiatek where this also happened and her level dipped after taking the first set. The seismic occasion as a clear favourite playing a young underdog worked against her in the previous year, as Canada’s Leylah Fernandez fended off the second seed in three tight sets.
Sabalenka has shown growth aplenty since winning her first Major title little under two years ago, and briefly enjoyed top spot in the WTA rankings last year after Swiatek’s early exit. Consistency can be controlled with good habits, staying injury-free less so, but the 26-year-old subtly continuing to add weapons to her arsenal – besides the envious power – means Pegula faces an uphill battle and must start fast.
That’s no guarantee she’ll win a H2H matchup she trails 5-2 in, but make the contest exhausting and keep Sabalenka uncomfortable, anything can happen on Ashe.
Mo and Sports 