Jessica Pegula has pulled a rabbit out of the hat by stunning world No. 1 Iga Swiatek and securing her place in the US Open semi-finals. This achievement comes after a tumultuous year marked by both highs and lows. Despite the challenges, Pegula’s resilience has shone through, propelling her to this pivotal stage. After her majestic triumph against the World No. 1, Pegula candidly shared the struggles she faced throughout the year and how she managed to overcome them.

In the post-match press conference after the quarterfinals, Pegula opened up about how her year started, with all the injuries and illness, but as time went by, she gathered her composure and bounced back with the strongest version of herself, bringing out amazing results in the recent few tournaments.

“Yeah, I mean I definitely at the after Australia, I was like, not okay, I was like burnt out. I was tired; I got sick like two or three times like in that span. I think I was just really run down, and my immune system was like kind of shot, whether it’s from the accumulation of stress over the last couple years and traveling and all,” Pegula stated.

Further, she added, “And then it kind of transitioned into like finding a new coach, working on new things, finding that balance with them, and then obviously, I did actually started you know, doing okay in Charleston, Miami. I had good results but then obviously got injured, but I think by the time I got injured I was almost like I was ready to go so.”

Jessica Pegula did not have an easy time getting to the semifinals of the US Open. After seven attempts, the world No. 6 finally accomplished her long-held goal of not just reaching the quarterfinals at Flushing Meadows, but going a step further and making it to the final four. After regaining her momentum, Pegula also acknowledged the contribution of her two new coaches, Mark Knowles and Mark Merklein, whom she hired in February.

Jessica Pegula credits new coaches for her US Open success

Jessica Pegula admitted her preparation for the US Open was enhanced after she brought in Mark Knowles and Mark Merklein as her two new coaches earlier this year. “That’s something I’ve been working on the last couple of months with the new coaches,” she said. “It sounds weird, but it’s not something I’ve really focused on throughout my career—just getting faster and stronger… getting in and out of the corners faster, and being able to hit better shots from the corners instead of getting behind in the point.”

Pegula has had a fantastic hard-court season as a result of her hard work. The 30-year-old won the WTA 1000 in Canada and made it to the summit clash of the Cincinnati 1000-level event as well. As the year draws to a close, Pegula’s remarkable comeback is a testament to her perseverance and commitment. But can she go even further and win the US Open in front of the home crowd? Share your thoughts in the comments below.