"She should be seeded but she never is": Jessica Pegula declares herself a 'big fan' of Karolina Muchova

Jessica Pegula previewed her US Open semifinal clash against Karolina Muchova, following the Czech’s impeccable form. The two will face each other on the night of Thursday, September 5, in their second encounter, this time fighting for a spot in the final.

Pegula pulled off a stunning win over Iga Swiatek, with a convincing 6-2, 6-4 result, and is riding a wave of confidence. The American holds a 14-1 record since the Canadian Open and has yet to drop a set at Flushing Meadows.

However, her rival will be an equally inspired Muchova, who needed just a handful of tournaments to return to her peak form, being the only unseeded player left in the competition. The 28-year-old is in her second consecutive US Open semifinal and is seeking to reach her second Grand Slam final, her first being at the 2023 French Open, where she lost to Swiatek.

Muchova had already demonstrated her talent before, but her rapid return to form after a long injury layoff and surgery is remarkable. Pegula, her next opponent, praised Muchova, highlighting her versatile game: "I'm a big fan of her. I think she's so good, so talented, so skilled as a tennis player. So complete."

"She doesn't have a ton of weaknesses. We played for the first time in Cinci, and I always laugh because she should be seeded, but she never is," Pegula said. "So I always see in the draw when she gets matched with someone good, and I'm like, she's back floating around in these draws, and I don't want a part of that."

"In Cinci, I had to play her first round, and I was like, damn it! But maybe it was a good thing in the end because now we get to play each other tomorrow, and hopefully, it will be a good match," the world No. 6 added. "She can play really well, and it doesn't seem to matter how many matches she's played; she always gets good results. It's cool to see her back because I think she's great for the game, and the way she plays is really fun."

"She's tough, a great athlete, doesn't have many weaknesses, and has gone deep in these slams before. I think she's just happy to be back playing, and when you face players like that, they can be really dangerous," Pegula added.

So far, Pegula and Muchova have only played once, just a few weeks ago in the second round of the Cincinnati Open. Pegula came back from a set down to secure the victory, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, on her way to the tournament final.