Jessica Pegula thrilled the home crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Thursday with an incredible comeback victory over Karolina Muchova, winning 1-6, 6-4, 6-2 to reach her first Grand Slam final, where she will face Aryna Sabalenka. Despite a rocky start that saw her look outmatched by the unseeded Czech player, Pegula found her rhythm to turn the match around.
Pegula struggled early, managing only three winners in a lopsided first set where Muchova dominated with confidence and precision, showing no signs of the wrist injury that had kept her off the tour for 10 months. The crowd was subdued as Muchova took a 2-0 lead in the second set, appearing poised to advance comfortably.
However, Pegula gradually dug deep, breaking Muchova in the fourth and sixth games of the second set. As momentum shifted, Pegula described her feelings:
“She made me look like a beginner… I was about to burst into tears because it was embarrassing. I started to play like how I wanted to play… It took a while but I don’t know how I turned that around, honestly.”
Despite a late break by Muchova in the second set, she faltered at key moments, double-faulting on set point and handing Pegula the chance to level the match. With the crowd fully behind her, Pegula stormed through the final set, winning the first three games and sealing victory on her second match point with a powerful forehand return.
Pegula’s win sets up a high-stakes final against second-seed Aryna Sabalenka, who earlier defeated Emma Navarro 6-3, 7-6(2). This marks a milestone in Pegula’s career as she aims to capture her first Grand Slam title on the biggest stage in New York.
