CNN
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American Jessica Pegula has made it to her first Grand Slam singles final. The world number six recovered from a set and break deficit and defeated unseeded Czech Karolína Muchová 1:6, 6:4 and 6:2 at the US Open in New York on Thursday.

At 30, she is the oldest American woman in the Open Era to reach her first Grand Slam singles final, making her first major championship semifinal after losing 6-0 in the quarterfinals.

Pegula, a native of Buffalo, trailed Muchová 6-1, 2-0 before mounting a comeback.

“It’s a childhood dream,” Pegula said. “This is what I wanted as a kid. It’s a lot of work, a lot of hard work. You can’t imagine how much work goes into it. … I’m just happy to be in a final, but of course I came here to win the title.”

In the final on Saturday at Arthur Ashe Stadium, she will face world number two Aryna Sabalenka, who is in the US Open final for the second time in a row. The Belarusian finished second in 2023 and lost to American Coco Gauff.

Sabalenka, who is seeking her third Grand Slam singles title – after winning the Australian Open for the second year in a row in January – eliminated 13th seed American Emma Navarro 6-3, 7-6(2) in the semifinals on Thursday night.

Pegula missed part of the schedule earlier this season due to injury, including the French Open. But during the North American hard court tour this summer, Pegula has found her rhythm, reaching a 15-1 record.

Her only defeat: in the final of the Cincinnati Open against 26-year-old Sabalenka.

“You know, if you had told me at the beginning of the year that I would make it to the final of the US Open, I would have laughed out loud because that was just my mindset, I didn’t think I would make it here,” Pegula said.

“To overcome all these challenges and be able to say I have a chance at the title on Saturday is what we play for as players, not to mention that I can do it here in my home country, at my home Slam. It’s really perfect.”

Muchová, currently ranked 52nd in the world, was playing in her second consecutive US Open semifinal despite this being only her sixth tournament of the season, having missed nine months with a wrist injury.

Sabalenka – the favorite for the title – reached the semifinals of the US Open for the fourth time in a row.

After her victory over Navarro, Sabalenka humorously poked fun at the New York crowd.

“So, guys, now you’re cheering for me,” Sabalenka said, laughing. “Well, I mean, it’s a little late. … Even though you were supporting her, I had goosebumps because you were cheering for her.”

“It was really an incredible atmosphere. I really enjoyed the game. And she is such a great player. Really a tough opponent. I’m really happy to have survived this difficult semifinal.”

Sabalenka led by a set and a break in that match, but the up-and-coming Navarro – in her first Grand Slam semifinal – recovered from a 3-5 deficit and forced the second set into a tiebreak to the delight of the fans.

In the final a year ago, the New York crowd was not on Sabalenka’s side either – they cheered loudly for Gauff. That will probably be the case again in the duel against Pegula on Saturday.

Sabalenka admitted that the crowd influenced her in the 2023 final – and on Thursday night she said that she thought about that experience at the end of the match.

“Today in the game I thought, ‘No, no, no, Aryna, this will not happen again,'” Sabalenka said. “‘You have to control your emotions. You have to focus on yourself.'”

In terms of the support she may or may not receive in Saturday’s final?

“Today was a good test for the crowd cheering for my opponent and even if it will be Pegula, I don’t care,” Sabalenka said. “I’m ready to compete against anyone. I learned my lesson from last year and I really hope I will do a little better than last year.”