US OPEN

September 9, 2026

Jessica Pegula

Press Conference

J. PEGULA/E. Navarro

3-6, 6-4, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Jess, congratulations on moving on. Questions.

Q. I noticed early on in the match in the first set you were getting pretty frustrated. What about the match and how things were going in your game frustrated you the most? Then how did you turn it around?

JESSICA PEGULA: Well, I mean, I didn't feel like during the points I was playing that bad. It was just serve and return. Like serve, return, first ball.

I think both of those scenarios, for me, she was just doing a better job. I feel like that's something that I do really well.

So I just was kind of frustrated that I wasn't really quite committing. I was kind of just all over the place. Whether that had to do with nerves, the way she was playing, or conditions being a little bit slower, or just me having a bad day, I just felt like I wasn't doing that very well.

So for me, that was definitely what I was most frustrated with and what I felt like had to change going into the second set if I wanted a chance to get back into the match and a chance to put myself in a winning position. So I'm glad that I was able to acknowledge that and change that and do it much better in the next couple of sets.

Q. I wanted to ask you about playing Aryna. When you guys have such a long rivalry like you do, do you kind of separate out the next match and really try to look at it as its own thing and how you guys are playing right now, or do you use the last two years, especially here, as motivation and say, Okay, actually, I would like to look back at those and maybe do some things different or use it as kind of fuel?

JESSICA PEGULA: Yeah, I think it's fun to look at it like a rivalry. I think that's what kind of motivates me. Honestly, I feel like that's what's going to motivate her probably that I beat her the last couple of times. I'm sure she's going to look at those couple of matches and what she needs to do different.

I think for me, I'm going to try to pull what I did well from those few matches, but then also be aware that she's a top, No. 1, top player, she's No. 1 in the world. Her and her team I feel like do a really great job of looking at what they need to improve, what other players are doing against her, and I think that's the reason she is No. 1, because they've done such a great job at that.

So at the same time, I'm going have to be very aware of maybe something different that they're going to have to or want to do going into this match. But I mean, of course, it's a new match. We're going to go out and play our games and just kind of see how each other is playing, I'm sure, and what's going to unfold. If everything is working perfectly for her, maybe she feels like she doesn't they'd to change anything. Same going for me.

To me, I think it's fun to look at the rivalry we've had. She's gotten me here the last couple of years. I have been able to beat her a few times, maybe on a smaller stage, so I think that's going to be kind of a hurdle for me to get over.

But at the same time, I think it's fun. We've challenged each other. I know that she's definitely pushed me to become a better player, so I always respect and appreciate that aspect of our rivalry.

Q. She hadn't had some great results in the last couple months coming into this. I wonder, first of all, if you even pay attention to that like in a team sport where you are watching what the first-place team is doing. Then, two, would it even matter? Did you think one way or the other? You were going to see her sometime this run anyway no matter how she was playing?

JESSICA PEGULA: I think that the match today probably gave her a lot of confidence getting through a top player in that fashion, and to win in a ten-point tiebreaker is pretty gutsy to come back from. I think she was down a break in the third I think is huge.

I mean, I know she hasn't maybe had the best results this summer, but I know that she has a lot of confidence playing here at this tournament, and she's going for a three-peat.

I had a feeling I felt like with her draw and her getting through today that she's still going to find a way to -- I mean, she's a great competitor. I don't know if I really thought I was going to see her or if it matters what her results are. I don't really know.

I had a pretty terrible summer last year and then was able to play really good tennis here and take a set off of her in the semis last time we played. So sometimes results don't really matter that much.

I feel like when you're a top player, the reason you're there is because you can draw on experience and you can find your game in really tough moments.

It doesn't always happen, but I can't say that I'm surprised, like, that she's in the semis and that we're going to play. I think I expected it probably.

Q. I'm not sure how much of saw of Aryna's match or how much you saw of the Tiafoe's match after. It's been a crazy and another long day on Ashe. I'm wondering what it's like to be part of that, especially with the ending of Tiafoe pushing you guys back, if you saw the end with the hug and everything?

JESSICA PEGULA: I saw a bit of Aryna-Noskova. I watched the ten-point tiebreaker because I was about to leave to go to site, and I was like, I've got to see the ending of this. I thought it was great tennis.

I'm a big fan of Linda. She's so Czech and just so relaxed and chill, but just absolutely just roped (phonetic) the ball.

I like her team a lot, so I have a lot of respect for her, and then I just thought the way Aryna was able to bounce back just shows why she's defending champion, why she's No. 1. She's a great competitor no matter what. So that was a really fun match.

Yeah, going into -- I saw Alex serve for it, and yeah, it's just not easy. It's really hard to serve for it. I had trouble serving for it today. I've definitely gotten broken serving for it in the past.

I think the way Foe was able to handle that has just shown how much better he's been competing this year, and I think probably a lot of the tough matches he's had to get through this whole summer and this year paid off probably for that moment.

Just seeing Alex hug him at the end, I started crying in the locker room. It was so heartbreaking. My heart hurt so much.

It's crazy. I told my coach, like, you can have two totally different experiences. Like Foe is having the best day of his life, and then Alex is having just the worst moment of his life. That's just tennis. It's so tough, but it was an amazing match.

Yeah, having to go out after that and then get through that match and then now got another great match going on right now, it's been a good day I think for tennis.

Q. Jess, you spoke about the rivalry with Aryna. When you've been successful, what do you think has been the difference for you?

JESSICA PEGULA: I think that when I've been successful, I've been able to play my best as far as making her move, change direction of the ball, take the ball early, not let her dictate too much, kind of, I don't know, play the best that I'm able to play, which is kind of use her pace, but still be aggressive.

I think changing the direction of the ball, not getting too predictable, and making her have to move and kind of come up with good shots on the run, and I think that's something I've done really well, yeah, when I've done well against her. I think that's going to be key for me.

She's going to not want me to do that, so it's always like a back and forth for both of us. So I think, yeah, I'm going to draw on kind of those past few matches, but I think I've just been able to play pretty aggressive, honestly, and kind of get her off balance.