- Favorite co-contender Swiatek withdraws from the US Open.
"Number 1 globally, Iga Swiatek, faced an unexpected and conclusive quarterfinal defeat at the US Open, succumbing to American Jessica Pegula 2:6, 4:6. The 30-year-old Pegula, with local idol Simone Biles watching, ignited the passion of American tennis spectators for a home triumph and advanced to her initial Grand Slam semi-final, having previously bowed out in the quarters six times."
"I've finally achieved it," Pegula expressed, "I can now declare myself a semifinalist." She is scheduled to square off against Czech Karolina Muchova in the semis on Thursday evening (local time), who remains undefeated in the tournament with no dropped sets. "She's incredibly skilled, incredibly talented. She's got a wealth of experience, so I'll need to deliver my best tennis," Pegula mentioned.
In the subsequent semifinal, second-ranked Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus will face American Emma Navarro. Last year, American fan-favorite Coco Gauff secured the title.
Swiatek's forehand fails
Swiatek missed an opportunity to win her sixth Grand Slam title. The 23-year-old had a rocky start, finding herself trailing 0:4. Pegula clinched the first set in a swift 37 minutes. In the second set, Swiatek's forehand let her down, making numerous unnecessary mistakes. Following a break at 3:4, she angrily smashed her racket into the net. Her last-ditch effort wasn't enough, as she ended up with 41 unforced errors.**
Pegula's victory over Swiatek in tennis marked a significant milestone for her career. Despite Swiatek's strong forehand, numerous mistakes led to her downfall in the US Open semi-final.
