Pegula Powers Into Second Straight US Open Semifinal – Tennis Now

By Richard Pagliaro | Tuesday, September 2, 2025
Photo credit: Al Bello/Getty

NEW YORK—On a sun-swept day, a perfect storm struck Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Jessica Pegula was dynamic and Barbora Krejcikova was debilitated.

Operating at opposite ends of the physical spectrum, Pegula pounded out a 6-3, 6-3 win changing into her second straight US Open semifinal today.

A masterful Pegula has been merciless tearing through the draw. Ten sets up and down sets down. 

Pegula has permitted just 23 games in five straight-sets tournament victories to reach her sixth semifinal of the year—and first since she defeated Iga Swiatek to win the Bad Homburg crown on grass in June.

“I thought I played a really solid match again. I thought I came off, or started really hot and kind of was able to keep the momentum, even with a couple of, you know, shifts there in both sets, but I felt like I didn’t quite let her get too comfortable today,” Pegula said. “I thought I started off playing pretty aggressive, making her move a lot, and just kind of pressuring her serve as well. You know, luckily was able to kind of execute that throughout the whole match.”

Title chase is 🔛

Last year’s runner-up Pegula takes down Krejcikova in straights! pic.twitter.com/OZMdKqsyL7

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 2, 2025

The 2024 US Open finalist Pegula will face world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in a rematch of the 2024 Flushing Meadows final.

The top-seeded Sabalenka advanced to her fourth straight major semifinal via walkover as 2023 Wimbledon winner Marketa Vondrousova, Sabalenka’s scheduled opponent, withdrew due to injury.

“I think it would be cool to be able to get revenge, obviously,” Pegula said of facing Sabalenka again. “I didn’t even remember the score. I think I saw — was it, like, 5-5 last year? I didn’t even think — I didn’t even remember it being that close, which was kind of funny, because I think after the final I was just so, like, wow, we should be in a third set right now.

“I was, like, I didn’t serve well. I could have done better.”

Tapping into the “crazy” Ashe Stadium energy has fueled Pegula’s second straight deep run at the Open. 

Today, Pegula converted five of nine break points seizing 4-1 leads in both sets.

“I feel I’m really comfortable,” Pegula. “It’s crazy to look at. I’m comfortable playing on the best court in the world with the craziest crowd against the best players. It’s something 10 years ago I never thought I’d be good at this and I guess I am.” 

Drained by her heroic 1-6, 7-6(13), 6-3 win over Taylor Townsend on Sunday that saw her save eight match points in an epic three hour, four-minute win, Krejcikova lacked the leg strength to keep pace with Pegula at the outset today. 

The fourth-ranked Pegula came out driving the ball deep bursting to a 4-1 lead.

As the set progressed, Krejcikova began landing her first serve with more frequency. 

The two-time major champion broke back for 3-4. Serving to level, Krejcikova coughed up her third double fault to face break point.

Pushed back by a crackling Pegula return, Krejcikova slapped a forehand into net as Pegula broke back for 5-3.

Serving for the set, Pegula dragged the Czech out wide with a sharp angled forehand for 30-all. 

“Keep moving those feet,” coach Mark Knowles urged his charge.

Pegula curled a crosscourt forehand for set point then drained a floated forehand to snatch a one-set lead after 40 minutes.

It was Pegula’s nine consecutive set win at this US Open, permitting just 20 total games in those nine sets.

The 31-year-old Pegula owned a 17-1 record when winning the first set in Flushing Meadows and extended her lead—with some help from her opponent.

A weary Krjecikova hit a pair of double faults ceding the break to start the second set. 

Fifty-three minutes into the match, Krejcikova spun a diagonal forehand winner, holding to get on the board. 

Creating a mini-dilemma, Pegula clanked successive double faults to face break point in the fourth game. Krejcikova tried playing the drop shot, but Pegula burst out of the blocks quickly, caught up to the ball and angled a slice backhand pass to save break point. That clever improvisation helped the American stand firm and hold for 3-1. 

Pegula’s precision and depth gave Krejcikova little room to operate. When the 2024 Wimbledon winner sailed a forehand, Pegula stamped her fourth break for a 6-3, 4-1 lead.

A Krejcikova double fault brought Pegula match point. When Krejcikova’s final forehand fell long, Pegula clinched her second consecutive US Open semifinal in one hour, 26 minutes.

“I guess surprised myself. I think, at the end of the day, I always come back to the fact that I’m pretty confident with who I am, and I think I’ll always back myself and figure things out in the end instead of kind of spiraling and letting it go too far,” Pegula said of this US Open revival run. “I mean, I definitely do that a little bit, but I think I always catch myself just in time.

“That’s kind of what I’ve been able to do for the last four or five years, being a top player. I feel like I can always come back to the fact that I can figure it out in the end, and that always kind of hits me in the toughest moments of the year.”