Iga Świątek’s run at the US Open came to a surprising end as she was defeated by Jessica Pegula in the quarterfinals. The American, ranked sixth in the world, secured her first-ever Grand Slam semifinal with a 6-2, 6-4 victory. Pegula, who had previously fallen in six Grand Slam quarterfinals, finally broke through and will now face Karolina Muchova in the semifinals.
Despite being the top-ranked player and a four-time Grand Slam champion, Świątek struggled to find her form. Heading into the match, she had reason to feel confident, having won six of their previous nine encounters, including a commanding 6-1, 6-0 victory in the 2023 WTA Finals. However, Pegula controlled the match from the start, taking advantage of Świątek’s 19 unforced errors in the first set.
Pegula’s dominance continued into the second set, where she broke Świątek’s serve early. Although Świątek briefly fought back to level the score, Pegula maintained her composure and continued to dictate play. The American’s deep, precise shots left Świątek unable to find her rhythm, and another crucial break at 3-3 gave Pegula the edge she needed.
Świątek fought valiantly to stay in the match, but Pegula held her nerve to close it out. With the victory, Pegula secured her place in a Grand Slam semifinal for the first time, where she will face Czech star Karolina Muchova.
