Statement made 🇺🇸 @JLPegula opens Team USA's semifinal account with a 6-2 6-2 victory over Team Poland's Iga Swiatek. #UnitedCup
Red-hot Pegula bulldozes past Swiatek to give Team USA first win in United Cup semifinal clash
WTAFriday, 06 January 2023 at 05:15
In one of the more surprising matches of the United Cup thus far, American Jessica Pegula stunned World No.1 Iga Swiatek in the opening match of the US-Poland final four encounter, giving her country the lead.
Pegula looked like the best player in the world during their semifinal clash, racing past Swiatek 6-2 6-2 in just 71 minutes. Swiatek was slow out of the blocks, losing the first seven points of the match as Pegula quickly obtained the early break. Nonetheless, the Polish star broke back to level the score at 1-1 but it was the American who maintained her initial momentum.
The 28-year old New York native would go on to tee off repeatedly on Swiatek's serves, and obtained another break to lead 4-1. She would go on to out-rally and outhit the reigning US Open champion, racing through the first set to the shock of the raucous crowd. Pegula kept her foot on the gas entering the second set, forcing several errors from her opponent as she quickly obtained another break. A second break all but sealed Swiatek's face, as an errant forehand sealed the match for Pegula and Team USA.
Pegula, whose previous career-best win by ranking had been over then-World No. 2 Naomi Osaka in the second round of Rome in 2021, had lost to Swiatek in all three of their 2022 encounters. But she had one prior victory to draw on, in the second round of Washington in 2019 en route to her own maiden title, and added to that in style. It will now be up to Kacper Zuk to level the tie for Poland, as the ATP World No. 245 takes on Team USA's Frances Tiafoe.
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