“I started crying in the locker room”: Jessica Pegula gets emotional after heartbreaking Tiafoe-Michelsen US Open epic
WTAWednesday, 09 September 2026 at 23:30
Jessica Pegula was left in tears after watching Frances Tiafoe and Alex Michelsen produce one of the most dramatic matches of the US Open. The American admitted she started crying in the locker room after seeing Michelsen hug Tiafoe at the net, struck by the contrast between one player enjoying the best day of his life and another suffering the worst moment of his.
Pegula had already completed her own comeback, recovering from a set down to defeat Emma Navarro 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 and reach the semifinals for a third consecutive year. Earlier, she had watched Aryna Sabalenka survive Linda Noskova, before witnessing Tiafoe overturn a two-set deficit against Michelsen in a four-hour, 38-minute epic.
Michelsen had been serving for the match before Tiafoe fought back to win the deciding-set tiebreak and reach his third US Open semifinal. Pegula was particularly affected by what happened afterwards, when the two Americans embraced at the net following one of the most painful defeats of Michelsen's young career.
The result also sets up an all-American men's semifinal between Tiafoe and Ben Shelton, guaranteeing a home player in the US Open final. On the women's side, Pegula and Coco Gauff remain in contention, giving American tennis multiple opportunities to reach the championship matches.
Pegula gets emotional over Tiafoe-Michelsen
Pegula said the ending was difficult to watch because she understood how much was at stake for Michelsen. She had seen him serving for the match and knew how difficult it is to close out a major victory under that kind of pressure. But the image that stayed with her was the embrace between the two players.
“And just seeing Alex hug him at the end, I started crying in the locker room," Pegula admitted during her press conference. "It was so heartbreaking. I just, my heart hurt so much. And I just, it's crazy.
"I told my coach, like, you can have two totally different experiences," she added. "Like Tiafoe's having, like, the best day of his life. And then Alex is having just the worst moment of his life. And that's just... that's just tennis. It's so tough, but it was an amazing match.”
Pegula then had to put those emotions aside and produce her own comeback against Navarro. She felt she was not playing badly during rallies, but her serve, return and first ball were letting her down. Recognising that problem allowed her to make the necessary adjustment and turn the match around.
“I just was kind of frustrated that I wasn't really quite committing. I was kind of just all over the place. And 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.”
Pegula faces Sabalenka again
Pegula now faces Sabalenka in a rematch of the 2024 US Open final, which the world No. 1 won. Sabalenka also defeated Pegula in the 2025 semifinal, but the American has won their last couple of meetings and sees their increasingly frequent battles as a genuine rivalry.
Sabalenka arrives after beating Noskova in a deciding-set 10-point tiebreak, remaining on course for a third consecutive US Open title. Pegula expects the world No. 1 to make adjustments after their recent meetings but believes her own previous success gives her a blueprint.
“Yeah, I think it's fun to look at it like a rivalry. I think that that's what kind of motivates me," Pegula mentioned. "And I think, 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 matches and what she needs to do different.”
Pegula knows she will need to reproduce the aggressive tennis that has troubled Sabalenka before, particularly by taking the ball early and preventing the Belarusian from dictating.
“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.”
Sabalenka has beaten Pegula on the biggest stage in New York twice. This time, however, the American arrives with recent wins over the world No. 1 and another opportunity to turn their rivalry in her favour.
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
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