"The semi-final against Sabalenka might be the best match I've ever seen from her," Pegula's coach reflects on his protégée's US Open

Jessica Pegula, last year's US Open finalist, was eliminated in the semi-finals this season by Aryna Sabalenka in a suspenseful match. Her coach, Mark Knowles, praised his protégée's level of play during the tournament, including in her match against the world number one.

Pegula was unable to defend all of her points at the US Open. A finalist at Flushing Meadows last year, the American reached the semi-finals this time, where Aryna Sabalenka eliminated her in a nail-biting contest (4-6, 6-3, 6-4), one year after having already defeated her in the final of the same tournament.

The coach of the 31-year-old player, Mark Knowles, looked back on his protégée's North American tour, emphasizing the semi-final against Sabalenka, which he felt was of an excellent level despite the loss.

"She had high expectations for Wimbledon after winning Bad Homburg, her third title of the season. Unfortunately, she suffered a tough loss in the first round.

The summer didn't go as Jess (Pegula) had planned, with many points to defend and a packed schedule: champion in Canada, finalist in Cincinnati, finalist at the US Open in 2024. For Jess, it was about managing that and knowing what to expect.

We also worked on a few things to improve her game. She bounced back, which speaks to the type of player and competitor she is. As soon as she played her first point at the US Open, it was a completely different Jess.

I think the semi-final match might be the best I've ever seen from her. That was the number one topic all summer. Jess felt the balls were different from week to week, but she seemed very satisfied with the balls at the US Open.

Consistency is key, but it's difficult. If a player doesn't feel the ball, it affects their game. Her slices and drop shots were good, her groundstrokes were incredible, but Sabalenka reached a very high level.

For Jess to play at her best, she needs to move well. Looking at the statistics, it's hard to understand why she lost, but that's the beauty of our sport. She continues to improve and doesn't get discouraged," Pegula's coach assured Tennis Up To Date.