Pegula wins from a break down to set up a third consecutive US Open meeting with Sabalenka
Jessica Pegula was a set and a break down and won anyway, beating Emma Navarro 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 for a 50th win of the season, more than any other woman this year. At 32 the American reaches a third consecutive US Open semifinal, where Aryna Sabalenka is waiting for the third September in a row.
Jessica Pegula, US Open 2026 | © PsNewz
Jessica Pegula lost the first set and then went a break down in the third, and neither cost her anything, the American No. 3 seed beating compatriot Emma Navarro, the No. 26 seed, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 on Tuesday night in New York to reach the US Open semifinals for a third year running.
On court afterwards she described the fight as an internal one. “It was really tough. It was physical, it’s humid, I wasn’t exactly serving my best and I was fighting a lot of demons out there today.” The rest of the credit went to the stadium. “Thank you guys so much for coming out here, and it’s an honor to play in front of you guys. There’s nothing like it. It’s amazing every single time.”
I just have to tell all the negative me to shut up and just play tennis and compete and battle and think out there and try and problem solve as best I can.
Navarro led 2-0 in the deciding set. Pegula broke back immediately and did not lose another game on her own serve, her groundstrokes finally landing where they had not for an hour. It was the kind of match she has built a career on: since the start of the decade no player on the WTA Tour has won more matches from a losing position, 48, or more three-setters, 90.
At 32 she is having the best season of her life. This was her 50th win of 2026, and she is the only woman to reach that figure this year. It is her fourth Grand Slam semifinal, and all four have come on hard courts. She is also the fifth player aged 30 or over in the Open era to reach three or more consecutive US Open quarterfinals, after Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Flavia Pennetta and Serena Williams.
Pegula had reached the last eight past Romanian Elena-Gabriela Ruse 6-3, 6-2, American wildcard Sofia Kenin 6-3, 6-1, Canadian No. 31 seed Leylah Fernandez 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 and Romanian No. 16 seed Sorana Cirstea 6-3, 6-4, then came through the first all-American US Open quarterfinal since Serena Williams beat Venus Williams in 2015.
Asked what it has taken to keep improving into her thirties, she offered a method rather than a quality. “I think it’s just a lot of self belief. I just really enjoy playing this game and challenging myself every single day to get better. I think I do a great job of having a short term memory, so I know that every time I come out, no matter what, I just have to tell all the negative me to shut up and just play tennis and compete and battle and think out there and try and problem solve as best I can. That’s all I’m trying to do really.”
Navarro, ranked No. 27 and in a fourth Grand Slam quarterfinal, had beaten French player Lois Boisson 7-6 (6), 6-7 (1), 6-3, American Caty McNally 3-6, 6-2, 6-3, Czech No. 7 seed Karolina Muchova 6-3, 7-5 and Russian No. 21 seed Anna Kalinskaya 6-4, 6-2, the Muchova win her eighth over a top 10 opponent. She has now lost all five of her meetings with Pegula.
The semifinal is one New York has staged in each of the last three years. Aryna Sabalenka beat Pegula in the 2024 final and again in the 2025 semifinal, and leads their head-to-head 9-4. Pegula won the most recent meeting, on grass at Berlin this season. The Belarusian top seed reached this stage by beating Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova 7-6 (1), 3-6, 7-6 (7), and must win the title to keep the world No. 1 ranking.
US Open 2026, men’s singles quarter finals
A. Sabalenka [1] d. L. Noskova [6]: 7-6(1), 3-6, 7-6(7)
J. Pegula [3] d. E. Navarro [26]: 3-6, 6-4, 6-3
M. Andreeva [5] vs C. Gauff [4] – not played
Q. Zheng (Q) vs E. Rybakina [2] – not played
