Pegula subdues Swiatek 6-2, 6-4 to reach maiden grand slam semifinal

It was a straightforward, straight-set demolition of the world #1. Jessica Pegula from Buffalo, NY performed at an exceedingly high level on home soil to progress to her maiden grand slam semifinal.

Iga Swiatek from Poland had quietly moved through the draw this fortnight. The reigning French Open champion was seeking her second title at Flushing Meadows having hoisted the Tiffany trophy two years ago. The twenty-three-year-old with twenty-two career titles had not dropped a set through four matches.

In this quarterfinal encounter, she faced a familiar foe. Though Swiatek led the head-to-head 6-3, this was their first meeting this season and second in NY since her title run in 2022. Pegula seven years her senior with six titles is currently ranked and seeded sixth. Like her opponent, she had not dropped a set through four rounds.

Under cool, comfortable conditions in Arthur Ashe Stadium, Pegula won the toss and chose to receive. Swiatek missed 5/6 first serves including a double fault to dump serve while Pegula missed 5/10 first serves, faced two deuce points yet consolidated the break for 2-0.  

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Swiatek continued to struggle on serve and with three additional errors including another double fault, dropped serve. Pegula opened the fourth with two consecutive forehand errors and though she faced deuce, consolidated the break with two forehand winners.

Swiatek opened the fifth with a fantastic forehand down the line and held at love to get on the board while Pegula missed 3/5 first serves yet held to 15 for 5-1. The five-time grand slam champion served to stay in the set and while she gifted two unforced errors, held to 30 for 2-5.

Pegula served for the set with new balls and converted her first set point when Swiatek netted a backhand. Pegula had great success hitting up the middle, extracting errors from her opponent.

Swiatek served first in the second and held easily to 15 and Pegula leveled with two spectacular groundstroke winners. Swiatek donated four forehand errors to dump serve. Pegula missed 3/6 first serves committed two unforced errors including a double fault and gave back the break.

Swiatek donated three consecutive errors and faced deuce yet held for 3-2 while Pegula made 4/4 first serves and held to love to level. The #1 seed continued to misfire on serve and off the ground. She faced four deuce and three break points and dumped serve when she mishit an inside-out forehand.  

Pegula kept a lid on her emotions as the set drew to a close. She made 4/5 first serves and held easily to 15 to consolidate the break. Swiatek serving with new balls and to stay in the match, made 5/6 first serves and held to 30 with a terrific inside-out forehand winner.

Pegula served for the match and a spot in the final four. She opened with an incredible crosscourt forehand winner and converted her third match point when Swiatek mishit a crosscourt backhand.

In just under ninety minutes, the 6th seed knocked out the 2022 US Open champion and world #1. It was an elevated and disciplined performance from the NY native. She played with poise and controlled aggression to confound the 5-time grand slam champion.

She won an astounding 77% of first and 53% of second serve points and was equally effective when returning, winning 44% of first and 53% of second serve return points. She saved 2/3 break points while converting 4/8 and hit twelve winners to twenty-two unforced errors.

In the penultimate round, she will battle 2023 US Open semifinalist and former world #8 Karolina Muchova. The twenty-eight-year-old from the Czech Republic is unseeded as she reascends the rankings following wrist surgery at the start of the season. This will be their second tour-level meeting having competed last month at the WTA 1000 event in Cincinnati which the American took in three.