Swiatek halts Pegula comeback to reach Miami final, sets up showdown with Osaka

The dream lives on for Iga Swiatek, who rallied from a break down in the second set to overcome Jessica Pegula in the semifinals of the 2022 Miami Open on Thursday night.

Swiatek recorded a 6-2 7-5 victory over her American opponent, employing a mixture of power and spin to destabilize Pegula. The Polish star did not face a break point in the first set, dictating play to take advantage of her reeling opponent and claim the first set.

Nonetheless, it was Pegula who seemed to have all the momentum at the start of the second set. The World No.21 obtained an early break to lead 2-1, and extended her lead to 4-2. However, Swiatek fought back as both ladies traded breaks, before the World No.2 earned a crucial break to lead 6-5. With the match on her racket, the 20-year old made no mistake, sealing the victory and securing her spot in the final after an hour and 48 minutes.

On a 16-match winning streak, Swiatek is hoping to win back-to-back WTA 1000 titles after lifting the trophy in Indian Wells two weeks ago. The second seed will face four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka in the final on Saturday.