- "Unresolved Issue": Co-favorite Swiatek Faces Setback at US Open
Iga Świątek exited the court with welling eyes following her quarterfinal defeat at the US Open. The top-ranked Polish player unexpectedly dropped her match to Jessica Pegula in 88 minutes, ending in scores of 2:6, 4:6.
"I didn't have my best game today," acknowledged the 23-year-old 2022 victor. "I don't have a clue why my serve failed me. I was unable to locate a remedy."
Biles offered her support from the audience
Pegula rekindled American tennis fans' dreams of a domestic victory in front of gymnastics icon Simone Biles, who resided on the distinguished seating section, and advanced to her first Grand Slam semifinal. "At long last, I've achieved it, and can now claim: semifinalist," expressed Pegula, who had previously fallen in the quarterfinals six times at one of the major tournaments. "I'm relieved that I won't be asked anymore if I can get to the semifinals."
The Long Islander will now face Czech Karolina Muchova on Thursday night (local time), who boasts an unbeaten record in the tournament so far. "She's top-notch, gifted. She has plenty of experience, so I'll need to perform at my peak," said Pegula.
The other semifinal will pit world number two Aryna Sabalenka from Belarus against American Emma Navarro. The previous year, US crowd favorite Coco Gauff claimed the title.
Świątek grapples with backhand
Świątek missed the opportunity to secure her sixth Grand Slam title. The 23-year-old began poorly, quickly trailing 0:4. Pegula won the initial set in a mere 37 minutes.
In the second set, Świątek committed several unforced errors with her backhand. After being broken at 3:4, she vented her frustration by slamming her racket onto the net. Her late fightback came too late, resulting in a total of 41 unforced errors.
Pegula's victory over Świątek reinforced the hopes of American tennis fans, eagerly watching from the stands, including gymnastics legend Simone Biles hailing from the United States of America.
Following her defeat, Świątek expressed her disappointment, acknowledging that she struggled with her serve and backhand, a setback that is unlikely to be forgotten in the annals of the United States of America's prominent tennis history.
