Jessica Pegula Makes Statement: Straight-Set Victory Sends Her Back To US Open Semifinals

Look, we’ve all been there—stuck in tennis purgatory, watching someone repeatedly bang their head against the same wall. For Jessica Pegula, that wall happened to be Grand Slam quarterfinals, and boy, did she get tired of the view.

But here’s the thing about walls: sometimes they crumble all at once. And when they do, the person on the other side usually has some serious momentum built up. Can she keep it going?

Pegula’s Dominance Against Krejcikova Shows Championship Form

Tuesday afternoon at Arthur Ashe Stadium, Pegula made defeating two-time Grand Slam champion Barbora Krejcikova look about as difficult as ordering coffee. The 6-3, 6-3 victory wasn’t just convincing—it was the kind of performance that makes you wonder if she’s finally figured out this whole “playing your best tennis when it matters most” thing.

The 31-year-old American didn’t just beat Krejcikova; she controlled her like a seasoned chess master moving pieces around the board. While Krejcikova was busy trying to channel her inner Houdini (remember those eight match points she saved against Taylor Townsend?), Pegula was having none of it.

“She had a couple really good returns when I was serving at 4-1, and then we all saw what she did against Taylor, so I was happy that we’re done,” Pegula said with the kind of relief usually reserved for people who just survived a horror movie.

The Numbers Don’t Lie About Pegula’s Perfect Run

Here’s where things get genuinely impressive: She has now reached back-to-back US Open semifinals without dropping a single set. The last woman to pull off that particular feat? Only Serena Williams, who did it four straight times from 2011-14.

Through five matches, Pegula has lost exactly 23 games total. To put that in perspective, that’s fewer games than some players lose in a single three-set match. The last American woman to be this dominant en route to a major semifinal was Williams at the 2016 Australian Open.

But here’s what makes this run even more remarkable: Pegula spent the better part of her career as the ultimate “almost” story. Twenty-three Grand Slam main draw appearances without reaching a semifinal is the kind of stat that haunts players’ dreams and fills sports psychologists’ bank accounts.

From Quarterfinal Heartbreak To Semifinal Success

The transformation has been nothing short of remarkable. This year alone, Pegula crashed out in the fourth round at the Australian Open, the third round at the French Open, and, perhaps most painfully, the first round at Wimbledon. Those results had people wondering if her 2024 US Open final appearance was more fluke than breakthrough.

Turns out, it wasn’t. If anything, it was a preview. “My biggest accomplishment last year was just getting past the quarterfinals,” Pegula said with characteristic honesty. “Now I can say I’ve done it twice.”

The confidence radiating from Pegula these days is palpable. She is playing with the kind of swagger that comes from knowing you have already climbed the mountain once. When she talks about feeling comfortable on “the biggest court in the world with the craziest crowd,” you believe her.

What’s Next For Pegula’s Championship Push

The path ahead isn’t exactly easy street. Waiting in the wings is potentially Aryna Sabalenka, the world No. 1, who handed Pegula that painful finals loss last year. If that matchup materializes, it will be the kind of revenge narrative that makes tennis writers salivate.

But here’s the difference between last year’s Pegula and this year’s version: she’s not playing like someone grateful just to be here anymore. She’s playing like someone who belongs here, someone who expects to be here.

At 31, Pegula represents something increasingly rare in women’s tennis—an American who’s hitting her absolute peak when most players are thinking about retirement. She and Amanda Anisimova are the last Americans standing in the women’s draw, carrying hopes that haven’t been this realistic in years.

The question isn’t whether Pegula can handle the pressure anymore. She has answered that one emphatically. The question is whether anyone can handle the version of Jessica Pegula that’s emerged from all those quarterfinal losses—battle-tested, confident, and playing the best tennis of her life when it matters most.