Pegula overcomes Navarro at US Open 2026: 50th win and a rematch with Sabalenka

The clock inside Arthur Ashe Stadium had passed 11 p.m. when Jessica Pegula and Emma Navarro finally began their US Open 2026 quarter-final. The match had been pushed back more than an hour by Frances Tiafoe's five-set win over Alex Michelsen. Both players looked rusty early. Pegula lost the first set 6-3, with five double faults from each player making it an untidy opener. Pegula reset in the second set, returning deeper and stepping closer to the baseline. She levelled the match with a strong forehand winner and then controlled the decider after an important break, winning 3-6, 6-4, 6-3. The victory sent her into the semi-finals for the third consecutive year, where she will face two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka, a rematch of the 2026 final. The result also gave Pegula her 50th win of the season, making her the first player on the WTA Tour to reach that milestone in 2026. It was her fifth straight win over Navarro, including a hard-court victory at the Cincinnati Open in August. Yet the match raised a subtle issue beneath the scoreline. The late start and long wait disrupted rhythm, as the unusually high number of double faults in the first set showed. Pegula spent extra time on court because she had to battle from one set down. With Sabalenka waiting in the semi-final, the physical cost of this late-night fight could matter more than the victory itself. Proper recovery will be as important as tactics if Pegula wants to reverse the result of the 2026 final and claim her first Grand Slam title.