New Delhi: A day after ousting World No.1 Iga Swiatek, Jessica Pegula continued her dream run for maiden Grand Slam title in the ongoing US Open 2024. On Friday, the 30-year-old American reached the final of US Open women’s singles not before a dramatic comeback.
After going down in the first set, World No.6 Pegula bounced back remarkably to stun Karolina Muchova in the semifinal 1-6, 6-4, 6-2 to reach her first Grand Slam major final.
Playing in her first semifinal of a Grand Slam event, Pegula was a set down, which was wrapped in just 28 minutes, and later was reduced to 0-2 in the initial phase of the second set. She saved a break point to avoid the deficit moving to 0-3. Once she managed to level the game at 2-2, the American was on the verge of a sensation comeback.
The American had lost six quarterfinals in major tournaments before defeating five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek on Thursday. She will meet double-Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka in the final as the Belarusian chases for her third Grand Slam title.
Pegula has won 15 of her last 16 matches on the hard courts of US summer, where she has lifted the titles in Toronto and Cincinnati (defeating Sabalenka in the final).
Aryna Sabalenka overcomes home favourite Emma Navarro
World No.2 Sabalenka rallied past 13th-seeded Emma Navarro 6-3, 7-6 (7/2). The Florida-based Belarus tennis sent down 34 winners to the 13 of the 23-year-old American in the tie. She used the raw power to win the first set, overcoming the angles explored by the young American.
Although an early break was cancelled out by the American, the 26-year-old edged ahead again in the sixth game before securing the opener on the back of 16 winners, twice as many as Navarro.
Sabalenka stretched to a 3-2 lead with a break in the second set with Navarro having to fend off more break points to avoid slipping to a 2-5 deficit.
That breathed new life into her challenge and she broke Sabalenka when her rival served for the match, pulling level for 5-5.
She even enjoyed a mini-break in the tiebreak before Sabalenka stormed back for victory.
(With inputs from AFP)
Pegula, who played in her first Grand Slam semi-final after six painful quarter-final defeats, looked down and out at one stage on Thursday. Tennis Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
