September 06, (THEWILL) – Jessica Pegula staged a remarkable comeback to defeat Karolina Muchova in the US Open semi-finals, booking her first Grand Slam final appearance. The American world No 6 overcame a slow start to win 1-6 6-4 6-2 against the 52nd-ranked Czech player.
Pegula will face world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka in the final, who defeated Emma Navarro 6-3 7-6 (7/2). This match offers Pegula a chance for revenge following her loss to Sabalenka in the Cincinnati final earlier this summer.
The 30-year-old American looked to be in trouble early on, losing the first set in just 28 minutes and falling behind 2-0 in the second. However, Pegula mounted an impressive recovery, winning eight of the last ten games to clinch victory.
Pegula’s recent form has been strong, with 15 wins in her last 16 matches on the US summer hard court circuit. This run included a title in Toronto and her current success at the US Open.
Muchova, who reached the semi-finals in 2023 before a 10-month absence due to a wrist injury, committed 40 unforced errors during the match. The Czech player acknowledged a crucial missed volley at 2-0 in the second set as a turning point in the contest.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.