"Reaching the semifinals is a great accomplishment, especially after what happened at Wimbledon," Pegula savors her victory over Krejcikova at the US Open
Jessica Pegula is in the US Open semifinals for the second consecutive season. The American, ranked 4th in the world, eliminated Barbora Krejcikova (6-3, 6-3) in the quarterfinals on Arthur Ashe Court early Tuesday.
The first player to reach the final four in the 2025 edition at Flushing Meadows in the women's draw, the 31-year-old also reached the final last year, where she fell to Aryna Sabalenka.
While Sabalenka could be Pegula's opponent for a spot in the final, the Buffalo native reflected on her victory over the Czech player before discussing the two players who could stand in her way on Thursday, namely Sabalenka and Vondrousova.
"I played a solid match today. I managed to start at a high level and maintained that pace until the end. I think I made sure she didn't feel comfortable on the court. I tried to be aggressive, make her run, and put pressure on her service games.
This game plan worked quite well all the way through. We all know Barbora (Krejcikova) is very dangerous. There were moments in the match where she played some great points that could have changed the match at some point, but I did a good job, and the confidence I've built up has allowed me to reach the semifinals today.
Having confidence for several weeks doesn't necessarily mean you'll go far in Grand Slam tournaments. The proof is that I won Bad Homburg just before losing in the first round at Wimbledon (to Elisabetta Cocciaretto).
Reaching the second week, the quarterfinals, and then the semifinals is a great accomplishment, especially after what happened at Wimbledon. I made it past the quarterfinals here last year, and now I can say I've done it twice.
No matter who I play in the next round, it will be a big challenge. If it's Aryna (Sabalenka), it would be nice to get some revenge. I don't even remember the score (7-5, 7-5), but I think I didn't even realize I was closer than I thought.
It's funny because I just remember thinking after the final: 'We should be playing a third set.' This year, I've received a lot of support from the fans, and I think last year was a truly amazing moment. I'm coming back with a different mindset this year.
Marketa (Vondrousova) is playing incredible tennis. The Czech players are like that. They say, 'We're going far in this tournament.' Then they disappear for a few months and come back more dangerous than ever.
That's how I see Marketa. She's in great form, she's already beaten seeded players, and she beat Aryna before Wimbledon (in Berlin). She's a lefty, a formidable opponent.
We had a close match at Roland Garros, but I'm not sure if I've faced her on hard court recently, which would be interesting, but we've had tight matches in the past, and it will likely be the same this time," Pegula told the US Open media.
