When she was struggling earlier this year, Jessica Pegula wasn’t sure if some of the dramatic changes she made in pursuit of better results were going to ultimately pay off.
Pegula, the 30-year-old daughter of Buffalo Bills owners Terry and Kim Pegula, reached the U.S. Open semifinals with a dominant 6-2, 6-4 victory Wednesday over world No. 1 Iga Swiatek. It’s the first time Pegula has broken through the Grand Slam quarterfinal barrier after six attempts, including a 6-3, 7-6 loss to Swiatek at the U.S. Open two years ago.
But this is a different Pegula, who split with longtime coach David Witt in February after a disappointing second-round exit at the Australian Open. Pegula missed the clay court season this year with a rib injury, returned at Wimbledon where she also lost in the second round and didn’t seem likely to be a factor for the rest of 2024.
But Pegula found her form after the Olympics, defending her title at the Canadian Open and reaching the final the following week in Cincinnati. All told, she has won 14 of her last 15 matches heading into Thursday’s semifinal matchup against Karolina Muchova.
But at this year’s U.S. Open, those doubts have been answered. Pegula isn’t just playing the best tennis of her life, she’s now gone further at a Grand Slam than ever before — with a real chance to take home the trophy.
Still, Pegula was considered an underdog to Swiatek, the 2022 U.S. Open champion. Swiatek led their head-to-head rivalry 6-3 coming into the match.
But from the very beginning Wednesday, Pegula was dialed in tactically and playing confident tennis both on her forehand and backhand. Pegula’s hard, flat ball strike appeared to rush Swiatek, who never got into a good rhythm and made uncharacteristic mistakes off standard groundstrokes. She finished with 41 unforced errors to just 12 winners. Pegula played a much cleaner match, making 65 percent of her first serves and just 22 errors.
Only one Grand Slam champion remains among the final four in the women’s draw. No. 2 seed Aryna Sabalenka is a two-time Australian Open champion and lost last year’s U.S. Open final to Coco Gauff. She will face American Emma Navarro on Thursday.
Regardless of what happens from here, Pegula, the No. 6 seed, will leave the U.S. Open as the top-ranked American woman.
“I just kept losing but to great players,” Pegula said on ESPN about her previous quarterfinal struggles. “I know everyone keeps asking me about it, I just didn’t know what else to do. I just needed to get there again and win the match. Finally I’m able to say I’m a semifinalist.”
Jessica Pegula’s journey to the U.S. Open semifinals in 2024 is a story of resilience, perseverance, and transformation. Earlier this year, Pegula, who is the daughter of Buffalo Bills owners Terry and Kim Pegula, found herself at a crossroads. Despite being one of the top-ranked players in the world, she had repeatedly faltered at the Grand Slam quarterfinal stage. After six unsuccessful attempts to advance past the quarters, she was unsure if the changes she made to her game and her team would ultimately yield the results she sought. However, after a dominant 6-2, 6-4 victory over world No. 1 Iga Swiatek, Pegula finally broke through to her first Grand Slam semifinal, with a renewed sense of confidence and a clear opportunity to win her first major title.
The decision to part ways with her longtime coach, David Witt, earlier in the year was one of the most significant shifts in Pegula’s career. Witt had been with her through several successful seasons, but after a disappointing second-round exit at the Australian Open, Pegula knew something had to change. She was frustrated with her inability to advance deep into the Grand Slam tournaments despite being a top-10 player. The split marked a turning point in her career, though the early results following the decision were not promising. Pegula suffered from a rib injury that kept her out of the clay court season, and her return at Wimbledon resulted in another second-round exit.
At that point, Pegula’s season seemed uncertain, and many doubted whether she would regain the form that had seen her consistently ranked among the top players in the world. The injuries and losses could have easily derailed her, but instead, Pegula used this adversity to fuel her determination.
Things started to turn around for Pegula after the Tokyo Olympics. She found her rhythm and confidence on the North American hard-court swing, winning the Canadian Open for the second year in a row and reaching the final in Cincinnati. Her powerful groundstrokes and ability to play aggressive yet controlled tennis allowed her to win 14 of her last 15 matches heading into the U.S. Open semifinal.
Pegula’s confidence on the court was evident as she dispatched Swiatek in straight sets. Swiatek, who had beaten Pegula six times in their previous nine encounters, was the heavy favorite going into the match. As the reigning U.S. Open champion and world No. 1, Swiatek had been in dominant form throughout the season. But from the opening game, Pegula seemed to be playing at a different level than Swiatek expected. Her flat, hard-hitting groundstrokes rushed Swiatek, forcing the Polish star into uncharacteristic errors. In contrast, Pegula played a clean, focused match, limiting her own mistakes and maintaining steady control of the baseline rallies.
Swiatek finished with 41 unforced errors compared to Pegula’s 22, a statistic that underscores how Pegula’s tactical approach paid off. Pegula also made 65 percent of her first serves, helping her dictate play and avoid giving Swiatek easy points. It was a comprehensive performance, one that reflected not only Pegula’s technical abilities but also her mental toughness.
Pegula’s struggles to advance past the quarterfinals of Grand Slam tournaments had been a recurring theme in her career. In her previous six quarterfinal appearances, she faced some of the world’s best players but always fell short of advancing. Among those losses was a defeat to Swiatek at the 2022 U.S. Open, where she lost in straight sets, 6-3, 7-6. Those losses weighed on her mind, as she admitted in a post-match interview with ESPN: “I just kept losing but to great players,” she said. “I know everyone keeps asking me about it, I just didn’t know what else to do. I just needed to get there again and win the match. Finally, I’m able to say I’m a semifinalist.”
The fact that Pegula was able to overcome Swiatek this time around shows how far she has come as a player, both mentally and physically. She has evolved into a player capable of beating the very best on the biggest stages, and that confidence has been key to her success this season.
Now, with the U.S. Open semifinals ahead, Pegula faces a new challenge: Karolina Muchova. The Czech player is known for her craftiness and variety on the court, traits that could pose a challenge for Pegula’s more straightforward power game. Muchova, who reached the French Open final earlier in the year, is in excellent form and will be a tough opponent. However, Pegula’s recent performances suggest she is more than ready for the task.
Muchova isn’t the only potential obstacle on Pegula’s path to the title. Aryna Sabalenka, the No. 2 seed, also remains in the draw and has been one of the most consistent performers in women’s tennis over the past few years. Sabalenka is a two-time Australian Open champion and reached the U.S. Open final last year, losing to Coco Gauff. Should Pegula and Sabalenka meet in the final, it would be a matchup between two players at the peak of their powers, both hungry for a Grand Slam title.
Regardless of the outcome in New York, Pegula’s 2024 season will go down as her best yet. By reaching the semifinals, she has already achieved her highest career result in a Grand Slam and will leave the tournament as the top-ranked American woman, an impressive accomplishment in its own right.
Pegula’s journey to this point is a testament to the importance of persistence in the face of adversity. Injuries, coaching changes, and tough losses all threatened to derail her career, but Pegula remained steadfast in her belief that she could break through. Her ability to adapt, both in terms of her physical game and her mental approach, has made all the difference.
As she prepares for her semifinal match, Pegula is no longer the underdog who struggles to make it past the quarters. She is a contender, playing the best tennis of her life, and with a real shot at taking home her first Grand Slam title. For Pegula, 2024 may very well be the year that everything finally comes together.
Jessica Pegula’s journey to the U.S. Open semifinals in 2024 is a story of resilience, perseverance, and transformation. Earlier this year, Pegula, who is the daughter of Buffalo Bills owners Terry and Kim Pegula, found herself at a crossroads. Despite being one of the top-ranked players in the world, she had repeatedly faltered at the Grand Slam quarterfinal stage. After six unsuccessful attempts to advance past the quarters, she was unsure if the changes she made to her game and her team would ultimately yield the results she sought. However, after a dominant 6-2, 6-4 victory over world No. 1 Iga Swiatek, Pegula finally broke through to her first Grand Slam semifinal, with a renewed sense of confidence and a clear opportunity to win her first major title.
A Career-Altering Decision
The decision to part ways with her longtime coach, David Witt, earlier in the year was one of the most significant shifts in Pegula’s career. Witt had been with her through several successful seasons, but after a disappointing second-round exit at the Australian Open, Pegula knew something had to change. She was frustrated with her inability to advance deep into the Grand Slam tournaments despite being a top-10 player. The split marked a turning point in her career, though the early results following the decision were not promising. Pegula suffered from a rib injury that kept her out of the clay court season, and her return at Wimbledon resulted in another second-round exit.
At that point, Pegula’s season seemed uncertain, and many doubted whether she would regain the form that had seen her consistently ranked among the top players in the world. The injuries and losses could have easily derailed her, but instead, Pegula used this adversity to fuel her determination.
A Turnaround in Form
Things started to turn around for Pegula after the Tokyo Olympics. She found her rhythm and confidence on the North American hard-court swing, winning the Canadian Open for the second year in a row and reaching the final in Cincinnati. Her powerful groundstrokes and ability to play aggressive yet controlled tennis allowed her to win 14 of her last 15 matches heading into the U.S. Open semifinal.
Pegula’s confidence on the court was evident as she dispatched Swiatek in straight sets. Swiatek, who had beaten Pegula six times in their previous nine encounters, was the heavy favorite going into the match. As the reigning U.S. Open champion and world No. 1, Swiatek had been in dominant form throughout the season. But from the opening game, Pegula seemed to be playing at a different level than Swiatek expected. Her flat, hard-hitting groundstrokes rushed Swiatek, forcing the Polish star into uncharacteristic errors. In contrast, Pegula played a clean, focused match, limiting her own mistakes and maintaining steady control of the baseline rallies.
Swiatek finished with 41 unforced errors compared to Pegula’s 22, a statistic that underscores how Pegula’s tactical approach paid off. Pegula also made 65 percent of her first serves, helping her dictate play and avoid giving Swiatek easy points. It was a comprehensive performance, one that reflected not only Pegula’s technical abilities but also her mental toughness.
Breaking Through the Quarterfinal Barrier
Pegula’s struggles to advance past the quarterfinals of Grand Slam tournaments had been a recurring theme in her career. In her previous six quarterfinal appearances, she faced some of the world’s best players but always fell short of advancing. Among those losses was a defeat to Swiatek at the 2022 U.S. Open, where she lost in straight sets, 6-3, 7-6. Those losses weighed on her mind, as she admitted in a post-match interview with ESPN: “I just kept losing but to great players,” she said. “I know everyone keeps asking me about it, I just didn’t know what else to do. I just needed to get there again and win the match. Finally, I’m able to say I’m a semifinalist.”
The fact that Pegula was able to overcome Swiatek this time around shows how far she has come as a player, both mentally and physically. She has evolved into a player capable of beating the very best on the biggest stages, and that confidence has been key to her success this season.
What Lies Ahead for Pegula
Now, with the U.S. Open semifinals ahead, Pegula faces a new challenge: Karolina Muchova. The Czech player is known for her craftiness and variety on the court, traits that could pose a challenge for Pegula’s more straightforward power game. Muchova, who reached the French Open final earlier in the year, is in excellent form and will be a tough opponent. However, Pegula’s recent performances suggest she is more than ready for the task.
Muchova isn’t the only potential obstacle on Pegula’s path to the title. Aryna Sabalenka, the No. 2 seed, also remains in the draw and has been one of the most consistent performers in women’s tennis over the past few years. Sabalenka is a two-time Australian Open champion and reached the U.S. Open final last year, losing to Coco Gauff. Should Pegula and Sabalenka meet in the final, it would be a matchup between two players at the peak of their powers, both hungry for a Grand Slam title.
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