“She’s having an incredible career but you know she took it upon herself that she wanted to see exactly where she could get to, her peak,” reflected Mark Knowles, one of Jessica Pegula’s coaches over the past two seasons. And indeed, Pegula’s journey this year has struck like a drumbeat: stunning, relentless, unforgettable. She’s etched her name into history with back-to-back US Open semifinals and by standing tall as only the third American ever to reach the China Open semifinals. Yet even as she blazes in peak form, one quirky stat from Beijing had her laughing, a playful counterpoint to her headline comeback against fellow American Emma Navarro.

Right after her victory over Emma Navarro, the numbers game made its own entrance. Opta Ace’s X handle tossed a striking stat into the mix, quoting, “Coming into this match with a 1-47 record, Jessica Pegula has claimed just her second comeback win against a WTA top 20 opponent – her sole previous win coming against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in Montreal (R32) in 2021. Fight.” While the post went public, Pegula turned the moment into a laugh-filled nod by resharing it with her own witty remark, “is this really post worthy? 😂” The stat may have sounded brutal, but the win on Beijing’s stage told a different story.

For Pegula, Friday’s quarterfinal could have easily unraveled after what was, by every stretch, a first-set heartbreak. Serving twice for the opener and clutching six set points, she watched Navarro claw back each chance and snatch the set in a tense tiebreak. Many would have folded in that moment, weighed down by frustration. Pegula’s answer came in a single word she later used to explain her approach: relax. And from there, she turned the script inside out, igniting a surge of momentum that would carry her to victory.

The second set became Pegula’s personal canvas, and she painted it with poise and precision. Leaving the first-set stumble behind, she raced to a 4-1 lead and never looked back. She closed the set without fuss, driven by an almost untouchable serve. Nearly 80% of her first-serve points landed, and 71% of her second serve followed suit. Where Navarro had threatened with seven break points earlier, she found nothing to bite into this time. Pegula stood tall, unshaken, and untouchable.

By the time the third set arrived, it played like an echo of the second. Pegula broke for 3-1, just as she had before, and locked her grip on the match. Navarro mustered a late push, carving out three break points and even saving two match points, but Pegula’s resilience roared louder. She slammed the door shut, sealing the 6-7(2), 6-2, 6-1 triumph in just over two hours, marching into the China Open semifinals for the first time in her career.

Now, the path stretches toward a duel with 20-year-old Linda Noskova, the lone non-American still in the Beijing draw. But while the semifinal looms, Pegula’s victory over Navarro carried its own weight, an unshakable reminder of how to turn a stumble into a statement. In the end, the stat may have sparked the laughter, but the comeback carved the headline.

Jessica Pegula reflects on comeback win over Emma Navarro

Following her gritty win over fellow American Emma Navarro, Jessica Pegula stamped another milestone on her rising legacy. The victory booked her 12th career WTA 1000 semifinal and her second of 2025, after a runner-up finish in Miami. Since 2009, only Serena Williams (26) has reached more semifinals at this level, while Pegula’s tally now ties Venus Williams at 12, ranking her second among American players.

Her record against compatriots shines just as brightly. Pegula has now won 18 of 19 matches against fellow Americans at WTA 1000 events, with her lone loss coming to Taylor Townsend in Rome last year. Against Navarro, she showed again why her consistency has become her calling card.

Off the court, fans in Beijing have embraced Pegula with warmth and humor. Chinese supporters affectionately call her the Princess of Buffalo and locally nickname her “Dafu,” which translates to “big rich.” Navarro, meanwhile, has been tagged the “second rich,” playful nods to their family wealth. After the match, Pegula delivered the punchline: “I guess the bigger Dafu won today, I don’t know.”

Her wit, however, stood alongside fierce determination. “She did a good job of staying tough, but at the same time I felt I was playing the right way,” Pegula said, reflecting on how she wrestled the match back under her control.

The turning point came when she steadied her nerves. “I told myself to not get too frustrated,” she admitted. “That kind of allowed me to play more free.” That mindset powered her surge through the final two sets with commanding authority.

Now, with the US Open heartbreak still fresh, Pegula carries momentum into Beijing’s semifinals. Facing 20-year-old Linda Noskova, she has the chance to chase history: no all-American final has ever graced the China Open. 

At this point, it feels like destiny in motion.