Top-seeded Iga Swiatek booked the last spot into the U.S. Open women’s semifinal on Wednesday night.
In a roller coaster of a match, the Pole defeated American Jessica Pegula 6-3, 7-6 at Arthur Ashe Stadium to get one step closer to winning her second Grand Slam title.
“I'm super proud of myself," Swiatek said after the match. "My goal basically is to be consistent and playing against the top players in the world. I remember when I was an underdog and any match like that was pretty surreal but right now it feels a little bit like a routine."
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After a shaky start for the two rising stars, Swiatek won the first set pretty routinely, staying more consistent and even-keeled than her opponent.
In the second set, Pegula had opportunities to go up 5-4 and 6-5 but got broken by a solid Swiatek each time.
Pegula, who was looking to make her first Grand Slam semifinal appearance, didn’t play as well as the New York crowd had seen her play in the previous rounds, contributing 29 unforced errors, hitting only 14 winners and getting broken in seven of 10 service games.
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Swiatek, who didn’t play her very best match either, added 32 unforced errors in the match. Swiatek proved that at the end of the day, resilience and the will to find a way even on bad days is the key to success.
The 21-year-old will face Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinal on Thursday night.
