Jessica Pegula, the 31-year-old American tennis star, has navigated a season of fluctuating form to reach the US Open semi-finals for the second consecutive year. This marks a significant milestone in her career, proving that her breakthrough performance last year was no fluke. Pegula secured her spot in the final four with a convincing 6-3, 6-3 victory over Barbora Krejcikova.
Pegula's journey to the semi-finals wasn't without its challenges. Earlier in the 2025 season, she experienced inconsistent play, leading to third-round losses in Montreal and Cincinnati. She openly questioned her tactics and even her string tension, a sign of her determination to find solutions. In fact, before the US Open, she was admittedly out of sorts. During a practice session, feeling frustrated, she cut it short, expressing her dissatisfaction.
Despite these setbacks, Pegula also demonstrated resilience throughout the year, claiming titles on three different surfaces: Austin (hard court), Charleston (green clay), and Bad Homburg (grass). This versatility highlights her adaptability and competitive spirit. By claiming three titles across three surfaces, Pegula joined Aryna Sabalenka as the only players to achieve this feat in the 2025 season. Before the US Open, Pegula had 38 victories this year, putting her alongside Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, and Elena Rybakina as the tour's most prolific winners.
At the US Open, Pegula has found her stride, showcasing the cool authority that has become her trademark. Her match against Krejcikova was a testament to her persistence and precision, as she subdued her opponent in just 86 minutes. Pegula dominated the match, winning 69% of returns off Krejcikova's second serve and breaking her opponent's serve multiple times. Krejcikova's serve struggled under pressure, with seven double faults and a first-serve percentage barely above 40%. Pegula, on the other hand, stayed the course, drawing energy from the supportive crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Pegula started the match strong, breaking in the first game and again at 3-1. Although Krejcikova briefly fought back, Pegula quickly regained control, securing the first set in 38 minutes. In the second set, Pegula continued to apply pressure, breaking Krejcikova at love to open the set.
With this victory, Pegula becomes the first woman to reach back-to-back US Open semi-finals without dropping a set since Serena Williams achieved the same feat between 2011 and 2014. This statistic underscores her dominance and consistency throughout the tournament. Pegula, 31, is also just the second player since the open era began to reach her first two Grand Slam semi-finals after turning 30.
Looking ahead, Pegula is set to face world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the semi-finals.
