Jessica Pegula Sweeps Past Barbora Krejcikova And Into Us Open Semi-finals

Jessica Pegula continues to redraw nan limits of her profession successful New York. The 31-year-old American swept into nan past 4 of nan US Open connected Tuesday pinch a 6-3, 6-3 dismissal of Barbora Krejcikova, becoming nan first female to scope back-to-back semi-finals present without dropping a group since Serena Williams strung together 4 consecutive runs betwixt 2011 and 2014.

It was a capacity of cool authority, built little connected fireworks than connected persistence and precision. Pegula needed only 86 minutes to subdue her opponent, whose service collapsed nether unit pinch 7 double faults and a first-serve percent hardly supra 40%. Where Krejcikova unravelled, Pegula stayed nan course, drafting power from a astir afloat Arthur Ashe Stadium that sensed they were watching a location contender stitchery momentum.

The lucifer began pinch Krejcikova missing an overhead and donating her first double responsibility to driblet service astatine love. Pegula extended her lead to 4-2 but stumbled erstwhile she missed excessively galore first serves, allowing Krejcikova to break back. The reprieve was fleeting. Another double responsibility from nan Czech successful nan pursuing crippled opened nan doorway and Pegula kicked it down, breaking instantly and consolidating to pouch nan opening group successful 38 minutes. Time and again Krejcikova’s erratic flip near her scrambling, while Pegula punished nan 2nd transportation pinch crisp, level returns.

The Czech’s troubles redoubled successful nan 2nd set. She was surgery astatine emotion to open, mixing successful consecutive double faults, arsenic Pegula stamped her authority erstwhile more. The 4th seed was not flawless – she double-faulted doubly successful a azygous crippled astatine 2-2 and faced a break constituent – but she steadied herself pinch a searing backhand passing victor earlier holding for 3-1. When Krejcikova sprayed a forehand wide successful nan adjacent crippled to driblet service again, Pegula had nan security break she needed. Though she concisely relinquished 1 of them, nan American’s power was ne'er successful existent doubt. Serving for nan lucifer astatine 5-3, she closed it retired connected her 2nd lucifer constituent erstwhile Krejcikova’s forehand sailed past nan baseline.

Barbora Krejcikova collapsed nether unit from Jessica Pegula. Photograph: Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP

“I’ve been playing immoderate really bully tennis,” Pegula said afterwards. “I consciousness for illustration I’m conscionable really comfortable. We each saw what she did against Taylor [Townsend], truthful I was happy that we’re done.” It was a neat encapsulation of her run to this point: steady, controlled and efficient. She has dropped only 23 games successful 5 matches, conserving her power while others person been dragged into deeper waters.

The opposition pinch her summertime shape was striking. Pegula had suffered early exits successful Montreal and Cincinnati aft a first-round setback astatine Wimbledon, cutting short 1 believe convention successful New York nan week earlier nan tourney and leaving nan grounds successful frustration. She later credited a reset for helping her to shed nan tension.

“I went and did an flight room pinch my friends and had 2 drinks and was like, ‘I request to conscionable chill’,” she said. “It’s crazy to look now and deliberation I’m really comfortable playing connected large courts pinch nan craziest crowds against nan large players. Ten years agone I ne'er thought I’d beryllium bully astatine this but I conjecture I am.”

Long defined by her awesome quarter-final frustrations – she came up short successful her first six appearances astatine that shape – Pegula has now reached consecutive semi-finals successful New York, impervious that past year’s breakthrough was nary outlier.

The 29-year-old Krejcikova, classed No 62 but a perennial danger, departs pinch in installments aft a tally that included a three-set triumph complete Emma Navarro and an bonzer flight against Townsend, wherever she saved 8 lucifer points. But those exertions caught up pinch her. She had spent much than 8 hours connected tribunal earlier Tuesday and lacked nan legs to prolong rallies against Pegula’s metronomic efficiency. For a subordinate who has lifted awesome championships astatine Roland Garros and Wimbledon – successful summation to 10 doubles titles – it was a reminder that pedigree unsocial cannot insubstantial complete a failing serve.

Pegula, by contrast, is uncovering her stride successful what is shaping into 1 of her finest seasons. She has already claimed 3 titles crossed 3 surfaces, joining Aryna Sabalenka arsenic nan only players to do so, and her 42 victories this twelvemonth spot her alongside Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina arsenic nan tour’s astir prolific winners. The statistic and nan poise propose she is fresh to trial herself erstwhile much astatine nan business extremity of a major.

Next she will look either nan world No 1 Sabalenka aliases Marketa Vondrousova, nan 2023 Wimbledon champion who is unseeded here, for a spot successful Saturday’s final. Both correspond daunting obstacles, but Pegula has seldom looked much astatine easiness pinch nan standard of nan occasion.