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Next on Ashe: Jiri Lehecka (20) v Carlos Alcaraz (2).
It’s a shame they end the interview there – I’d have loved to hear why Pegula felt that way and how she changed her sense of self. She played pretty well today, but was helped by an opponent who couldn’t get going; whether it’s Sabalenka or Vondrousova next, she can be sure of a sterner test in the semis.
Pegula thinks she’s been playing really solid and starting well; but she knows Krejcikova can come back, so she’s happy to be done. She feels really comfortable playing big matches in front of the craziest crowd on the best court in the world. Ten years ago she didn’t think she could be good at this, but now she guesses she is; I’ll say
ShareJessica Pegula (4) beats Barbora Krejcikova 6-3 6-3
Pegula 6-3 6-3 Krejcikova* Again, the sun causes issues for Krejcikova, but at 0-15, a forehand winner levels us up. An ace down the middle follows, but Pegula then takes advantage of a short approach, a forehand winner – again, hit cross – passing her opponent coming in. Gosh, and at 30-all, a double donates match point and Krejcikova doesn’t look ready to save one never mind the eight she managed last time out. Oh, and a first serve into the net ups the pressure … then a long forehand means Pegula is in the last four having not lost a set!
Updated at 13.11 EDT
*Pegula 6-3 5-3 Krejcikova Pegula might well be feeling it here, broken in her last service game. But a fine inside-out backhand to the corner allows her to come in and thwack another that Krejcikova can’t get back. Krejcikova, though, is starting to connect on return, another deep one good enough for 15-all; Pegula responds with a telling serve down the T, then another deep backhand which makes 40-15. A return into the net follows, and two first serves when needed them takes the American to within a game of the last four.
Pegula 6-3 4-3 Krejcikova* Between games, we see that Krejcikova is playing from further back than previously in the tournament, perhaps looking to buy time as Pegula hits early and flat. But that also means the ball is a bit lower at point-of-contact, whereas if she steps in, she’s a better chance of whacking from down on it from on top. That said, as an error gives away 30-all, my sense remains the major issue is not one of tactics but of quality: Krejcikova is playing like a drain. On deuce, though, a decent second serve allows a forehand winner down the line, and another cross-court takes her to within a game of second-set parity.
*Pegula 6-3 4-2 Krejcikova We’ve all been there, whatever our job: sometimes, what’s usually there just isn’t, or we’re flat when usually we’d be bouncing. Krejcikova might be done-in from the Townsend match, but my guess is she’s just having a bad day, but at 40-15 she flukes a winner, a forehand slice dropping just over the net, and a decent return then makes deuce. She’s going for it now, another good return helping earn advantage, then Pegula nets and that was much more proactive from Krejcikova, who’s been far more cautious than I expected.
Pegula 6-3 4-1 Krejcikova* Up 15-30, Pegula lands a return on to the paint, continues hitting decent lengths, and Krejcikova nets; at 15-40, these two break points feel like match points. A big serve saves the first, then Pegula is marginally wide with an inside-out forehand; that’s a major oversight because she didn’t need to go close to the line to land the winner. No matter: another error allows advantage, a forehand flies long, and that’s the double break in set two. Pegula is nearly there and I’m afraid this is total no-show from Krejcikova.
*Pegula 6-3 3-1 Krejcikova This is really sharp from Pegula, coming in to volley shoulder-height for 30-0. A serve out wide is then followed by a clean-up forehand winner – maybe every player should try an escape room and a few bevvies if this is the result; maybe every GBGer should too – but from nowhere, Krejcikova wins three straight points for deuce. Big test coming up for Pegula, but just as the rally develops, a hooked forehand lands wide and offers her advantage … only for a double to restore deuce. Suddenly, this game feels like a biggun, all the more so when a further double, tentative rather than aggressive like the first, donates advantage. Krejcikova, though, offers an airy drop that’s easily run down and punished, and from there, further errors allow Pegula the hold. If the Czech doesn’t improve soon, she’ll be back in the locker room with only regrets for company.
Updated at 12.47 EDT
Pegula 6-3 2-1 Krejcikova* I expected this match to be close because I thought one thing was certain: both players would turn up. So far, though, this hasn’t happened, but at 40-0, Krejcikova is playing a better game while Martina notes that she’s one of four Czechs left in the singles draws, explaining that it’s because of how tennis is taught there. Maybe so, but she’s soon under it again, a winner and an error making 40-30, before Krejcikova goes corner to corner, a forehand winner getting her on the board in set two.
*Pegula 6-3 2-0 Krejcikova If Pegula consolidates here, she’ll feel close to the finish line, shaking her feet at 30-15, to keep herself moving; she knows how important these next points are. And when Krejcikova fails to mete out treatment to a second serve that barely clambers over the net, an error follows next shot, then a backhand drops long and I don’t think she can play much worse than this.
Pegula 6-3 1-0 Krejcikova* Krejcikova will be concerned: she played exceptionally poorly in that set, having to fight through deuce in her two holds then, when she broke, she immediately surrendered her gain, and at the start of set two, successive doubles mean she’s down 0-40. Big trouble and big pressure, all the more so when her first serve flies long; to make sure there’s no hat-trick, she takes even more power off and Pegula doesn’t need asking twice, thumping a backhand winner down the line, securing a break to love.
ShareJessica Pegula takes the first set against barbora Krejcikova 6-3
*Pegula 6-3 Krejcikova At 0-15, Krejcikova carelessly wafts long then, after netting a forehand slice, Pegula hits a better ball for 30-all. Two points away from the set, she serves out wide then races in and finds a terrific angle, cutting the court to break the sideline, and when Krejcikova goes long, that’s enough for the set, Pegula by far the better player in it.
Jessica Pegula takes the opening set. Photograph: Al Bello/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 12.39 EDT
Pegula 5-3 Krejcikova* Down 0-15, Krejcikova swings an ace down the T, as Martina rhapsodises the woman who taught her everything, the late Jana Novotna. What a day it was when she finally won Wimbledon; I can’t imagine anyone other than Nathalie Tauziat was disappointed to see that happen. Anyroad up, back to our match and Pegula makes 30-40, is handed another second serve – she’s getting right after those – and when she whacks back flat, Krejcikova can only net. All that hard work to get back into the set, and now she must break again to avoid losing it.
*Pegula 4-3 Krejcikova A double hands Krejcikova 15-30, then a forehand on to the line earns two break-back points; she’s nearly back in a set she might easily have lost heavily. But she’s started to stand a bit closer to the line in the last couple of games, rushing Pegula, who again put under pressure, nets for 4-3, and how she’ll be regretting her failure to convert break point in each of her last two returning games.
Pegula 4-2 Krejcikova* Pegula doesn’t go deep enough with her approach, so she’s passed coming in for 30-15, but her desire get to net shows the aggressive intent often missing from here game. And though, at 30-all, she dumps a backhand, a poor body-serve arrives right into the slot, a forehand cross-court breaking the sideline for a winner and another deuce. A double follows, but Krejcikova again saves herself from falling a double-break behind, then quickly secures her hold with a serve-volley one-two.
*Pegula 4-1 Krejcikova Down 15-30, Pegula again relies on her forehand cross, then a high-kicking ace down the T earns game point. And this time, as they go backhand to backhand, Krejcikova nets, and she needs to improve quickly, else this set will be gone with her barely participating in it.
Pegula 3-1 Krejcikova* A little better from Krejcikova, who makes 30-15 when Pegula slices into the net and, in comms, Martina bemoans the lack of classic matches so far this tournament. I really enjoyed Muchova v Kostyuk yesterday, for what that’s worth; meantime, Pegula opens the court with another forehand, then hits a backhand into the space she created for 40-30, quickly making deuce thereafter. She’s started like she means it, but when she fails to convert on advantage, Krejcikova closes out, a backhand winner – her first of the match – sealing the deal.
*Pegula 3-0 Krejcikova Krejcikova had to save eight match points to beat Townsend in round four and perhaps that’s still in her legs, or her mind; she’s not got going here at all. But she does get to 40-30 only to allow a weak second serve to escape unpunished; another forehand winner secures the consolidation.
Pegula 2-0 Krejcikova* Superb from Pegula, waiting as both players hit down the middle before clouting another winner cross-court. Oh, and she goes again next point; we’ll need to wait and see, but I think she fancies herself forehand to forehand, and what on earth?! Looking to dispatch a simple putaway, Krejcikova misses everything – the sun must’ve been a factor, but she’s wearing a visor and, perhaps discombobulated, a double hands over the break to love.
Barbora Krejcikova loses her opening service game to Pegula. Photograph: Elsa/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 12.00 EDT
*Pegula 1-0 Krejcikova (*denotes server) Solid from Pegula to open, making 30-15, Krejcikova then slaps a return long before dictating the next point, targeting the forehand then coming in to put a volley into the opposite corner. She’s looking to attack here, taking the ball early and coming into the net.
Pegula to serve, ready … play.
By the way, how good was Naomi Osaka yesterday? I can’t lie, after watching her against Hailey Baptiste, I had a quiet one with my local turf accountant, but she’s got plenty of work to do before I’m taking us all to the discotheque. We’ll talk more about it tomorrow, but Karolina Muchova poses a very different test to Coco Gauff, and if she wins that one, it’s Amanda Anisimova or Iga Świątek next. If she takes the title again, she’ll have earned it.
Krejcikova, meanwhile, has greater power and variety – where Pegula hits flat, she likes to vary spins, hitting with top and slice, the latter even on forehand, and of course she’s the bigger server. We can be certain she’ll come on to court with a plan, whereas I wonder if Pegula might just do what she always does and hope she does it well enough to win.
The other thing, of course, is fitness. Pegula has had knee grief and neck aggro, taking time off to recuperate, but she’s in nick now; we said earlier that she lacks power, but no one in the competition has broken more than she.
Pegula was properly unhappy with her form after her first hit – she said she hit with Sabalenka and took a hiding. But then she did an escape rook with her mates, had a couple of drinks, and reminded herself to relax, then played really nicely having a good laugh in the mixed with Jack Draper. She’s feeling pretty decent now.
SharePreamble
Yes yes y’all and welcome to the US Open 2025 – day 10!
We’re at that point, aren’t we? Excitement increasing as competition escalates while, at the back of our minds, that nagging sense of loss because we’re nearing the end. But let’s lozz that for now because awaiting us today are a pair of potentially terrific matches.
In a sense, Jess Pegula and Barbora Krejcikova are opposites. Pegula, seeded four here, had been a member of the numerical elite for quite some time, with nine career titles to her name. But at the slams she tends to bump up against the limitations of her own athleticism, doing no better than the last eight apart from in this tournament last year, when she made the final and kept it tight for bit, but was ultimately outclassed by Aryna Sabalenka.
What will grate is that in the time she’s been good, all manner of player ostensibly less so – and not just those naturally faster and stronger – have won majors. Take Barbora Krejcikova, for example. Previously renowned as a doubles specialist, she’s won both Roland-Garros and Wimbledon, relying not otherworldly power, rather an all-court game supported by the ability, mentality and feel to produce her best when it really matters.
So far, this has largely been beyond Pegula who, at 31, is running out of time. But if she hits her top level or close to it, she’ll expect to win here and rightly so.
Following them on to court are Jiri Lehecka and Carlos Alcaraz, whose match in the final of Queen’s was closely contested – until it got close, whereupon suddenly it wasn’t. Ultimately, there was a sense throughout that the world no 2 would do whatever ended up being necessary to win, which intensifies over the longer distance.
However if Lehecka serves well, taking any set off him is difficult – at Queen’s, the first went to 7-5 and he took the second 7-6. Though he’ll have to play the match of his life to make this a serious contest, he’s already beaten Alcaraz on hard this season and, at 23, will feel ready to take the next step. We shall soon see.
Play: 11.30am local, 4.30pm BST