Jessica Pegula, who had been 0-6 in Grand Slam quarterfinals, finally shattered that barrier in a monumental fashion at the 2024 US Open. The 30-year-old American pulled off a stunning upset by defeating world No. 1 Iga Swiatek 6-2, 6-4 at Arthur Ashe Stadium, securing her first-ever spot in a major semifinal.
Throughout the tournament, Pegula faced relentless questions about her previous struggles in the quarterfinals. Yet, she remained focused, determined to rewrite her narrative. “There have been so many times I just kept losing,” Pegula admitted. “Everyone kept asking me about it, but I just needed to get there again and win the match. Thank God I was able to do it. Finally, I can say, ‘Semifinalist.'”
Pegula’s dominant performance against Swiatek was nothing short of remarkable. She capitalized on Swiatek’s struggles, particularly with her serve and forehand, which accounted for 22 of her 41 unforced errors. Pegula, by contrast, committed only 22 unforced errors and showcased stellar defense, continually pressuring Swiatek to make an extra shot.
Swiatek, a four-time Grand Slam champion, entered the match as a heavy favorite. She had lost only two service games in the entire tournament before facing Pegula and hadn’t faced a single break point in her last three matches. However, Pegula broke Swiatek’s serve five times, including in each of Swiatek’s first two service games. Both of which ended in double-faults.
The lopsided nature of the match surprised many, but not Pegula. “I knew I could do it,” she said. “I just had to go out and execute my game and not get frustrated.”
Swiatek, visibly frustrated during the match, struggled to find her rhythm, particularly with her serve, landing only 36% of her first serves in the opening set. “I didn’t really understand why my serve wasn’t working,” Swiatek lamented after the match.
Pegula’s victory sets up a semifinal clash with unseeded Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic, who defeated No. 22 seed Beatriz Haddad Maia earlier in the day. Muchova, the 2023 French Open runner-up, is making her second consecutive appearance in the US Open semifinals. Pegula is well aware of the challenge ahead, having beaten Muchova at the Cincinnati Open last month. “She’s good, so talented, so skilled as a tennis player,” Pegula said of her upcoming opponent. “She’s really great for the game, and the way she plays is really fun.”
The other women’s semifinal will feature another American, No. 13 seed Emma Navarro, who will face No. 2 seed Aryna Sabalenka, a two-time Australian Open champion.
On the men’s side, there are also two Americans in the semifinals, who will face each other: No. 12 Taylor Fritz will take on No. 20 Frances Tiafoe. The other men’s semifinal will pit No. 25 Jack Draper against either No. 1 Jannik Sinner or No.5 Daniil Medvedev. The only former US Open champion left in the field.
This marks the first-time since 2003 that multiple Americans have reached both men’s and women’s semifinals at the US Open. For Pegula, this breakthrough win represents the culmination of years of perseverance. As she now stands just one match away from her first Grand Slam final.
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