Shelton beats Alcaraz in late-night epic to reach US Open semis

NEW YORK — In a thrilling match filled with serve breaks and back-and-forth rallies, Jessica Pegula stunned her American opponent Emma Navarro on Tuesday, advancing to her third consecutive U.S. Open semifinal. The match concluded with Pegula defeating Navarro 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, granting her a rare opportunity to face world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka once again.

Pegula, the reigning No. 3 seed, will vie for her second U.S. Open title against Sabalenka in a rematch of last year's semifinal and final losses. The defending champion represents the third consecutive year Pegula will challenge Sabalenka for the championship title in New York. Pegula has emerged victorious in two of their last three encounters, but securing a win at her home Grand Slam event against the top-ranked player remains an elusive goal.

The final game, marked by Pegula's missed match point and subsequent winning shot to thwart Navarro's break-back attempt, epitomized the match's unpredictability. Throughout the 28-game ordeal, there were nine instances of serve breaks, with games frequently oscillating from deuce. Victory came down to the wire for Pegula, who celebrated a hard-fought triumph after Navarro's return of serve and Pegula's emotional scream of relief as she secured the match.