So many components, so many variables have to come together for a player to achieve Grand Slam glory. Just ask Jessica Pegula and Karolina Muchova.
Before the 2024 US Open, Pegula had been knocked out at the major quarterfinal stage six times. Take into consideration the caliber of opponents: Jennifer Brady, Ash Barty, Victoria Azarenka, Marketa Vondrousova and Iga Swiatek twice—all major champions or finalists—and that provides plenty of context. Each time, Pegula has returned to the drawing board, and that perseverance was rewarded on Wednesday night as the on-song American swatted aside world No. 1 Swiatek 6-2, 6-4.
"Finally! I can say semifinalist!" she celebrated post-match. No more talk of doubts, not having the weapons, not having the hunger. Pegula is primed to deliver.
Two months out from mid-April to mid-June to heal a rib injury has proved to be a canny decision. A steady, yet not wild grass-court campaign was a step forward ahead of a blazing hard court swing, with a WTA 1000 trophy in Toronto and then a runner-up statement run in Cincinnati.
"After Australia, I was not OK, burnt out. I was tired. I got sick two or three times," revealed the No. 6 seed. "I think I was just really run down, and my immune system was kind of shot, whether it's from accumulation of stress over the last couple of years and traveling and all the stuff.
"I kind of just readjusted, tried to take care of my body a little bit better, and kind of get myself back to feeling good. Then it kind of transitioned into finding a new coach, working on new things, finding that balance with them.
"I think once I kind of reset and kind of got back to normal, getting injured kind of just made me more hungry, fired up."
Mentally and physically restored, with a settled team, Pegula has been able to soar through all 10 sets she's played so far in Queens. The 30-year-old is also part of a tight-knit and thriving club of U.S. players. This US Open is the first Grand Slam to have multiple American men and women in the singles semifinals since at Flushing Meadows back in 2003.
"This makes me so happy" tweeted Pegula having seen a US Open post on X, formerly Twitter, that either Taylor Fritz or Frances Tiafoe will end a wait since 2006 for an American men's singles finalist in NYC. On top of that, Emma Navarro is on the other half of the women's draw, so a patriotic Pegula is feeding off that energy too.
Whilst Pegula is searching for the major answers, to extend her stay into the silverware showdown. It's a case of rinse and repeat for Muchova.
It's been well documented the Czech's incredible bad luck with injuries. Just last season the world No. 52 had cracked the Top 10 as a Roland Garros finalist and a US Open semifinalist. Cue another nightmare: Muchova was then sidelined with a wrist injury and required surgery in February.
It’s a case for gratitude for the 28-year-old, who is swinging her racquet with such freedom this fortnight.
"Injuries, I don't even like to talk about injuries … I've been through a lot of them. This last one, the wrist surgery, was one of the worst ones," Muchova said. "Now looking back, I'm like, 'Oh, it actually flew by,' the time, and I feel strong again. But when I go back to February I have to say I wasn't always that positive. It was tough moments honestly when I couldn't move the arm and couldn't do much.
"It's few bad days, and then I always try to just regroup and focus on the step that I could do, what's the first step I can do towards recovery. I'm now just very grateful for all those people that always have my back and that I'm here playing pain-free."
Just over six months ago Muchova was in the hospital, but now she has a major within reach once again.
Pegula and Muchova have had their own adversities, their own journeys, and they both have been leading the pack with exquisite tennis in Queens. It looks like Thursday night's blockbuster could be a repeat of their Cincinnati first-round 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 triumph for Pegula.
"I'm a big fan of hers. I think she's so good, so talented, so skilled as a tennis player, so complete. Doesn't have a ton of weaknesses. We played each other for the first time in Cincy, and I always laugh because she should be seeded but she never is," Pegula mused.
"I always see when she draws somebody good first round, I'm like, 'Oh, she's back, like, floating around in these draws, and I don't want a part of that,'" she added with a laugh. "So in Cincy, I finally had to play her first round. I was, like, 'Damn it!' But maybe it was a good thing in the end because now we get to play each other, and hopefully it will be a good match.
"Obviously it doesn't seem to matter how many matches she's really gotten in, she seems to have good results no matter what. It's cool to kind of see her back, because I think she's really great for the game and the way she plays is really fun. We'll see how it goes."
