Pegula Rallies to Defeat Muchova, Sets US Open Final with Sabalenka

Jessica Pegula staged a remarkable comeback to defeat Karolina Muchova and secure her place in her first Grand Slam final at the US Open on Thursday, where she will face the powerful Aryna Sabalenka for the title. Pegula, ranked world number six, overcame a tough start, battling back from a set and a break down to claim a hard-fought 1-6, 6-4, 6-2 victory over Muchova, ranked 52nd in the world.

Meanwhile, world number two and two-time Australian Open champion Sabalenka advanced to her second consecutive US Open final after defeating American Emma Navarro 6-3, 7-6 (7/2). Reflecting on her comeback, Pegula said, “I felt lucky to still be in the match. She was making me look like a beginner, and I was on the verge of tears, but it came down to small moments. I don’t know how I turned it around.”

Pegula’s victory adds to her impressive run this summer, with 15 wins from 16 matches on the US hard court swing, which included a title in Toronto and a loss to Sabalenka in the Cincinnati final. “It’s a chance for revenge, but she’ll be tough to beat,” Pegula remarked.

In Thursday’s match, Pegula, playing in her first Grand Slam semi-final after six quarter-final defeats, seemed in trouble early on. She lost the first set in just 28 minutes and quickly found herself 2-0 down in the second set. Facing a break point that would have left her trailing 3-0, Pegula managed to stay in the match, sparking an incredible recovery that saw her win eight of the final 10 games. Muchova’s fate was sealed with her 40th unforced error.

– ‘Too late to cheer for me’ –

Earlier in the day, Sabalenka advanced to the final by defeating Navarro, despite the crowd’s support for the American. Navarro, playing in her first Grand Slam semi-final, fought back from 3-5 down in the second set to force a tiebreak but ultimately fell short. Sabalenka dominated with 34 winners compared to Navarro’s 13.

“Now you’re cheering for me? Wow. It’s a bit too late,” Sabalenka joked to the crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium. “Even though you were supporting her, I still got goosebumps from the atmosphere.”

The Belarusian added, “I don’t care who I face in the final because today was a good test with the crowd cheering for my opponent. I’m ready for whoever.”

Navarro, who had previously lost in the first round of her two US Open appearances, acknowledged that the magnitude of the moment may have affected her performance. “Maybe I didn’t handle it perfectly, but it’s an experience I’ll seek again,” she said.

In her match, Sabalenka relied on her powerful game to claim the first set, overcoming Navarro’s use of angles. Despite losing an early break, Sabalenka regained control in the sixth game and clinched the set with 16 winners. She later took a 3-2 lead in the second set, but Navarro fought back, leveling the score at 5-5 after breaking Sabalenka when she served for the match. Navarro even led in the tiebreak before Sabalenka stormed back to secure victory.