World No.1 Swiatek beats Pegula to reach U.S. Open semifinals

The French Open champion will face Aryna Sabalenka for a place in final after making the last-four of a Slam for the third time in 2022.

Iga Swiatek, of Poland, returns a shot against Jessica Pegula, of the United States, during the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2022, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson) | Photo Credit: AP

World number one Iga Swiatek beat American Jessica Pegula 6-3 7-6(4) on Wednesday to reach the semi-finals of the U.S. Open for the first time.

The top-seeded French Open champion dropped her racket and pumped her fist after the win, which guaranteed that she will remain the world’s top player when the tournament ends.

Despite the victory the Pole is still trying to regain her dominant form from earlier in the year when she went on a 37-match winning streak.

The 21-year-old twice failed to serve out the match in the second set and was broken six times by the eighth-seeded Pegula.

Swiatek will meet Aryna Sabalenka in the semi-finals.