American tennis star Jessica Pegula achieved the biggest win of her career on Wednesday, defeating world number one Iga Swiatek 6-2, 6-4 to reach her first-ever Grand Slam semi-final at the U.S. Open. The sixth seed celebrated in front of an excited home crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium, finally breaking through after seven attempts at making it past the quarter-finals in a major tournament.
“I’ve been to the quarters so many times and kept losing,” Pegula shared after the match. “Finally, I can say semi-finalist.”
Swiatek, the 2022 U.S. Open champion, struggled from the start, with her serve faltering and committing 41 unforced errors. Pegula capitalized on Swiatek’s off day, breaking her serve twice in the first set and maintaining momentum in the second. Although Swiatek briefly fought back by breaking Pegula’s serve, the American stayed aggressive and kept the pressure on.
With the support of the home crowd, Pegula closed out the match after Swiatek’s final shot went wide, marking an unforgettable victory for the American and securing her place in the U.S. Open semi-finals.