Remember when Jessica Pegula arrived at her press conference sipping a can of beer, saying “I’m trying to pee for doping”? The American player explained how it “eased the loss,” referring to her 2022 US Open QF defeat to Iga Swiatek. Defying expectations, the World No. 6 player has avenged that loss to Swiatek in this year’s US Open quarterfinals and is now a semifinalist at the tournament for the first time. Pegula has already planned her celebration!

“Thank god I was able to do it and finally, finally, I can say I’m a semifinalist,” Pegula said, who lost six previous Grand Slam quarterfinals in her career. Moreover, her appearance in the next match guarantees a US Open semifinal featuring all American male and female players for the first time since 2003! Amid this joyous moment, the Canadian beer brand, Labatt Blue Light, playfully posted on X, “@Jpegula out there earning some beers 👀,” perhaps teasing Pegula of her previous incident of drinking Heineken beer. 

But the 30-year-old has a different plan and reposted it by adding, “When the tournament is over 😜.” Despite her joy at setting a personal best in New York with a ‘clean’ match, the American player remains cautious and won’t relax until the tournament is over. “I feel like I didn’t really do anything that bad, and was able to kind of jump on her really early and, I think, frustrate her and was able to keep my level even when she picked it up in the second set,” said Pegula, who now has a 4-6 head-to-head count against the Pole.

While Pegula withdrew from the French Open owing to her rib injuries, she reached the second rounds in the Australian Open and Wimbledon. However, after a break following the Paris Olympics, she regained her form, winning a tournament in Canada and reaching the final in Cincinnati. Pegula has achieved a significant breakthrough at the US Open, the same tournament where she began her Grand Slam journey as a qualifier in 2015. Besides, her optimism after the match revealed her control over her game!

Jessica Pegula on how her winning formula worked in the US Open!

Jessica Pegula, who is soon going to face Karolina Muchova in the semifinals, admitted how everyone kept asking her about her quarterfinal defeats in the Grand Slams. But the No. 6 seed “didn’t know what” to do except try to win the QF and show it to the world. It didn’t dampen her spirits because she knew she “could do it.”

“I just had to go out and execute my game and not get frustrated. Luckily, I felt like I was able to take advantage of some things she wasn’t doing well very early and then was able to kind of ride that momentum throughout the match,” said Pegula.

Last year, it was Madison Keys who ended her compatriot’s reign in the round of 16 match. But, this year, with a 14-1 record in her last 15 matches, Pegula is poised to make her debut Grand Slam semifinal appearance at the US Open. Hopefully, she’ll be celebrating with a beer when the tournament concludes.