Jessica Pegula secured a spot in the quarterfinals at the U.S. Open with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Diana Shnaider, marking her seventh appearance at this stage in a Grand Slam tournament. Pegula, who is the daughter of the owners of the Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres, has been on a winning streak, claiming 13 of her last 14 matches on hard courts. She is set to face No. 1 seed Iga Swiatek in the quarterfinals, where Pegula will aim to break her record of 0-6 in major quarterfinals.
Swiatek, who dominated against Liudmila Samsonova, acknowledges Pegula’s strong performance in recent matches, recognizing the challenge ahead in facing her next. Pegula has previously faced No. 1 players like Swiatek and Ash Barty in quarterfinal exits at Grand Slam tournaments. Despite her past experiences, Pegula remains focused on taking each match as it comes, acknowledging the variables that come into play in each game.
In the women’s quarterfinals, Karolina Muchova and Beatriz Haddad Maia also secured their spots with impressive wins. Haddad Maia, a left-hander from Brazil, overcame former Australian Open champion Caroline Wozniacki to reach the quarterfinals, marking a significant achievement for Brazilian tennis. Muchova, who experienced a serious wrist injury last year, made a strong comeback to reach the quarterfinals after impressive performances in Paris and New York.
In the men’s tournament, Jannik Sinner and Daniil Medvedev set up a quarterfinal showdown after securing victories in their matches. Medvedev, the 2021 champion, demonstrated his dominance with a strong win against Nuno Borges. British player Jack Draper made history by becoming the first British man to reach the quarterfinals in New York since Andy Murray in 2016. Draper will face Alex de Minaur in his first Slam quarterfinal, expressing admiration for Murray’s legendary career.
Pegula’s performance against Shnaider demonstrated her improvement in movement and consistency on the court, leading to a convincing victory. Pegula’s ability to save break points and win service games has been a key factor in her success at the U.S. Open. As she prepares to face Swiatek in the quarterfinals, Pegula remains focused on bringing her best tennis to the court and overcoming the challenges that lie ahead in the tournament.
