NEW YORK : Jessica Pegula reached the U.S. Open semi-finals for a third consecutive year after fighting back to beat compatriot Emma Navarro 3-6 6-4 6-3 in an all-American quarter-final on Tuesday.
The 32-year-old will face two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in a rematch of the 2024 final after extending her winning streak against Navarro to five matches, including a victory at last month’s Cincinnati Open.
The match, dubbed the “Battle of the Billionaires” by American media because of the players’ family backgrounds, began more than an hour late after Frances Tiafoe’s marathon victory over Alex Michelsen in another all-American quarter-final.
The delay did little to improve the quality of the contest, with both players struggling to find their rhythm and committing numerous unforced errors.
Navarro, the 26th seed, edged a scrappy opening set after the players traded early breaks and each hit five double faults. A further break gave Navarro the advantage.
The errors continued in the second set, but Pegula gradually found her range and levelled the match with a forehand winner at the end of a lengthy exchange.
Pegula carried that momentum into the decider, breaking again to take control before closing out the victory.
“It was really tough, really physical, I wasn’t serving my best, I was fighting a lot of demons out there,” Pegula said on court.
“I do a great job on having a short-term memory. I know every time I come out, no matter what, I have to tell the negative me to shut up and just play tennis and compete.”
The victory was Pegula’s 50th of the season, making her the first women’s player to reach that mark in 2026.
