By Richard Pagliaro | Tuesday, September 2, 2025
Picture credit score: Al Bello/Getty
NEW YORK—On a sun-swept day, an ideal storm struck Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Jessica Pegula was dynamic and Barbora Krejcikova was debilitated.
Working at reverse ends of the bodily spectrum, Pegula pounded out a 6-3, 6-3 win becoming her second straight US Open semifinal at present.
A masterful Pegula has been cruel tearing by way of the draw. Ten units up and down units down.
Pegula has permitted simply 23 video games in 5 straight-sets event victories to succeed in her sixth semifinal of the 12 months—and first since she defeated Iga Swiatek to win the Dangerous Homburg crown on grass in June.
“I assumed I performed a extremely strong match once more. I assumed I got here off, or began actually sizzling and type of was capable of preserve the momentum, even with a few, you realize, shifts there in each units, however I felt like I didn’t fairly let her get too snug at present,” Pegula mentioned. “I assumed I began off taking part in fairly aggressive, making her transfer lots, and simply type of pressuring her function effectively. You realize, fortunately was capable of type of execute that all through the entire match.”
Title chase is 🔛
Final 12 months’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 remaining.
The highest-seeded Sabalenka superior to her fourth straight main semifinal by way of walkover as 2023 Wimbledon winner Marketa Vondrousova, Sabalenka’s scheduled opponent, withdrew resulting from harm.
“I feel it could be cool to have the ability to get revenge, clearly,” Pegula mentioned of dealing with Sabalenka once more. “I didn’t even bear in mind the rating. I feel I noticed — was it, like, 5-5 final 12 months? I didn’t even suppose — I didn’t even bear in mind it being that shut, which was type of humorous, as a result of I feel after the ultimate I used to be simply so, like, wow, we ought to be in a 3rd set proper now.
“I used to be, like, I didn’t serve effectively. I may have achieved higher.”
Tapping into the “loopy” Ashe Stadium power has fueled Pegula’s second straight deep run on the Open.
As we speak, Pegula transformed 5 of 9 break factors seizing 4-1 leads in each units.
“I really feel I’m actually snug,” Pegula. “It’s loopy to take a look at. I’m snug taking part in on the very best court docket on the planet with the craziest crowd in opposition to the very best gamers. It’s one thing 10 years in the past I by no means thought I’d be good at this and I suppose I’m.”
Drained by her heroic 1-6, 7-6(13), 6-3 win over Taylor Townsend on Sunday that noticed her save eight match factors in an epic three hour, four-minute win, Krejcikova lacked the leg energy to maintain tempo with Pegula on the outset at present.
The fourth-ranked Pegula got here out driving the ball deep bursting to a 4-1 lead.
Because the set progressed, Krejcikova started touchdown her first serve with extra frequency.
The 2-time main champion broke again for 3-4. Serving to degree, Krejcikova coughed up her third double fault to face break level.
Pushed again by a crackling Pegula return, Krejcikova slapped a forehand into web as Pegula broke again for 5-3.
Serving for the set, Pegula dragged the Czech out huge with a pointy angled forehand for 30-all.
“Preserve shifting these toes,” coach Mark Knowles urged his cost.
Pegula curled a crosscourt forehand for set level then drained a floated forehand to grab a one-set lead after 40 minutes.
It was Pegula’s 9 consecutive set win at this US Open, allowing simply 20 complete video games in these 9 units.
The 31-year-old Pegula owned a 17-1 file when successful the primary set in Flushing Meadows and prolonged her lead—with some assist from her opponent.
A weary Krjecikova hit a pair of double faults ceding the break to start out the second set.
Fifty-three minutes into the match, Krejcikova spun a diagonal forehand winner, holding to get on the board.
Making a mini-dilemma, Pegula clanked successive double faults to face break level within the fourth sport. Krejcikova tried taking part in the drop shot, however Pegula burst out of the blocks rapidly, caught as much as the ball and angled a slice backhand cross to avoid wasting break level. That intelligent improvisation helped the American stand agency and maintain for 3-1.
Pegula’s precision and depth gave Krejcikova little room to function. When the 2024 Wimbledon winner sailed a forehand, Pegula stamped her fourth break for a 6-3, 4-1 lead.
A Krejcikova double fault introduced Pegula match level. When Krejcikova’s remaining forehand fell lengthy, Pegula clinched her second consecutive US Open semifinal in a single hour, 26 minutes.
“I suppose stunned myself. I feel, on the finish of the day, I at all times come again to the truth that I’m fairly assured with who I’m, and I feel I’ll at all times again myself and determine issues out in the long run as a substitute of type of spiraling and letting it go too far,” Pegula mentioned of this US Open revival run. “I imply, I positively do this a little bit bit, however I feel I at all times catch myself simply in time.
“That’s type of what I’ve been capable of do for the final 4 or 5 years, being a prime participant. I really feel like I can at all times come again to the truth that I can determine it out in the long run, and that at all times type of hits me within the hardest moments of the 12 months.”
