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Jessica Pegula admitted to being rattled by Karolina Muchova during their semifinal match at the 2024 US Open. However, the American staged an impressive comeback from a set down to reach her maiden Grand Slam final.
Pegula, who had been in scintillating form at the North American hard-court swing winning the Canadian Open and reaching the final of the Cincinnati Open, took her form into Flushing Meadows. She ousted Shelby Rogers, Sofia Kenin, Jessica Bouzaz, Diana Shnaider, and top seed Iga Swiatek to reach the final 4 for the first time in her career.
The American defeated Muchova 1-6, 6-4, 6-2 in two hours and 12 minutes to claim an impressive win. At one point, Pegula was serving at 30-40 while being a set and a break down, however, Muchova missed a volley, after which the 30-year-old started to turn things around.
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During the on-court interview, Jessica Pegula was asked what was going through her mind after Muchova missed the volley, to which the American said that the point helped her realize she was still in the game and knew that these moments were enough to shift momentum.
"I was thinking all right, that was kind of lucky, like try like. you're still in this and it comes down to really small moments that flip momentum and she, I came out flat but she was playing unbelievable," she said (at 00:29).
Pegula said that Karolina Muchova made her look like a beginner and admitted that she was about to cry because she was feeling embarrassed by how Muchova was easily defeating her.
She said that she somehow survived that game and later found some adrenaline in her legs, which helped her clinch the second set. She eventually clinched the match, after finally finding some rhythm. The American admitted that she couldn't decipher how she turned the match around.
"I mean, she made me look like a beginner," Jessica Pegula said.
"I was like about to like, burst into tears because it was embarrassing like she was destroying me and I was able to just hold into that game and I was able to find a way, find some adrenaline, find my legs, and then at the end of the second set into the third set, I started to play like how I wanted to play and it just, I, yeah, it took a while but I, I don't know how I turned that around."
Jessica Pegula will play Aryna Sabalenka in the final of the 2024 US Open
Sixth seed Jessica Pegula will play second seed Aryna Sabalenka in the final of the 2024 US Open, in what will be the eighth meeting between the two women. Sabalenka leads their head-to-head 5-2 and won their most recent meeting, which was the final of the Cincinnati Open.
The Belarusian came close to winning the title last year but lost to home favorite Coco Gauff in the final from a set up.
She defeated another home favorite, Emma Navarro, in the semifinals 6-3, 7-6(2) in an hour and 30 minutes to reach the final for a second consecutive year.
With her semifinal win, Jessica Pegula is confirmed to become the new World No. 3 on Monday.
