Back in January, when Aryna Sabalenka was winning her second straight Australian Open title, Jessica Pegula was exiting in the second round after a straight-set loss to a player ranked 51st.
This wasn’t Pegula’s first challenge, as she has faced many setbacks over the years, including injuries and tough losses. But now, the No. 6-seeded Pegula will compete against No. 2 Sabalenka for the U.S. Open championship on Saturday.
“If you had told me at the start of the year that I’d be in the finals of the U.S. Open, I would have laughed because I didn’t think I would make it this far,” Pegula, a 30-year-old American, said Thursday night.
She secured her first chance at a Grand Slam title with a comeback victory of 1-6, 6-4, 6-2 against Karolina Muchova in the semifinals at Flushing Meadows.
“To overcome all those challenges and get a chance at the title on Saturday is what we strive for as players — and to do it in my home country, at my home Slam, is just perfect,” Pegula said.