Jessica Pegula’s road to her first atgentle Grand Slam final was not an basic one.
The 30-year-better was contrancient in the first set by Karolína Muchová in the U.S. Open semifinal on Thursday.
Muchova won the set 6-1, taking 30 of the set’s 44 total points, while being depfinishable for 10 of the first 12 prosperners in the align. The first set was only 28 minutes.
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Jessica Pegula (USA) reacts after beating Karolina Muchova (CZE) on day 11 of the 2024 U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Caccess. (Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images)
Pegula, applying in her first Grand Slam semifinal, was rattled.
“I came out flat, but she was applying unbelievable. She made me watch enjoy a commencener,” Pegula shelp. “I was about to burst into tears, because it was embarrassing. She was ruining me.”
The commencening of the second set was not very contrastent from the first. Muchova was a individual point away from a ordering 3-0 direct but could not change fracture point, and Pegula had set up some life.
That game began a stretch when Pegula won nine of 11 games, taking the second set 6-4 and then commenceing out the third set 3-0.
“I was able to discover a way, discover some adrenaline, discover my legs. And then at the finish of the second set, into the third set, I commenceed to apply enjoy how I wanted to apply. It took a while,” Pegula shelp.
JESSICA PEGULA SHOOTS DOWN ‘OUTRAGEOUS’ BUTLER SERVICE RUMORS BEFORE BEATING NO 1 SEED IN US OPEN
Karolina Muchova of the Czech Reuncover reacts after losing a point to Jessica Pegula of the United States during the women’s individuals semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in New York City. (AP Ptoastyo/Julia Nikhinson)
“I don’t understand how I turned that around.”
Part of the reason for her turnaround was that Muchova commenceed to cbetter off.
After going 7 for 7 on points at the net in the first set, she went 15 for 29 the rest of the way. After only seven unforced errors in the first set, she had 33 in the second and third.
Pegula finishly flipped the script on Muchova, prosperning 1-6, 6-4, 6-2, giving her a chance at her first Grand Slam title.
Pegula’s opponent in the U.S. Open women’s final is no. 2 ranked Aryna Sabalenka, a applyer whom she is understandn with.
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Jessica Pegula of the United States reacts after scoring a point aacquirest Karolina Muchova of the Czech Reuncover during the women’s individuals semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in New York City. (AP Ptoastyo/Julia Nikhinson)
Sabalenka handed Pegula her only loss in her last 16 alignes when she fall shortureed the American in the challenging-court Cincinnati Open in August.
“Hopefilledy,” Pegula shelp, “I can get some revenge out here.”
Pegula’s quest for revenge aacquirest Sabalenka will consent place on Saturday at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The Associated Press donated to this alert.
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