US Open: Lone Asian American Jessica Pegula fights her way into semi-finals

And then there was one. Jessica Pegula is the last Asian American in the US Open as the tournament enters its final round.

With the media's darling, the Philippines Alexandra Eala, eliminated earlier this week, Asian and Asian American fans turned their attention to the remaining Asian and Asian American players.

The quarterfinal stage at Flushing Meadows brought a mix of heartbreak and history for our community’s top tennis stars. While three phenomenal players saw their deep runs come to an end, Pegula kept the fire burning with a gritty, come-from-behind victory.

Here is how the action unfolded for our community's favorites:

Pegula Power: Jessica Marches On

Jessica Pegula—whose mother Kim Pegula was adopted from South Korea—showed incredible mental toughness in her quarterfinal match on Tuesday. Facing off against Emma Navarro, Pegula dropped the opening set but refused to back down. She rallied fiercely to lock in a 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory. 

The win secures her spot in the semifinals, which are scheduled for Thursday, September 10. Pegula will take center stage during the night session inside Arthur Ashe Stadium starting at 7 p.m. local time (ET). 

In the semi-final, Pegula will be facing a familiar opponent. A massive blockbuster showdown against top-seeded and two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka awaits. The two met in the 2024 US Open final, which the world No. 1 won. Sabalenka also defeated Pegula in the 2025 semifinal, but since then, the Korean American has won their last couple of meetings and views their increasingly frequent battles as a genuine rivalry.

“Yeah, I think it's fun to look at it like a rivalry. I think that that's what kind of motivates me," says Pegula. "And I think, honestly, I feel like that's what's going to motivate her. Probably that I beat her the last couple of times. I'm sure she's going to look at those couple matches and what she needs to do different.”

Zheng and Rybakina’s epic clash

Olympic champion Qinwen Zheng’s phenomenal run came to a heartbreaking end in the quarterfinals on Wednesday. 

After shocking world No. 8 Iga Świątek in the previous round, Zheng went toe-to-toe with Elena Rybakina. Zheng captured the first set with flawless baseline play, but Rybakina storm-chased back to take the match 6-3, 1-6, 4-6. 

With this win, Rybakina also claims the world No. 1 ranking. 

Ankle injury halts Osaka

Naomi Osaka’s inspiring return to the US Open spotlight was cut short in the Round of 16 on Monday. The former champion ran into a red-hot Elena Rybakina, falling 1-6, 4-6. 

Compounding the tough loss, the 28-year old Osaka was visibly hampered by a nagging ankle and foot issue during the second set, ending her 2026 New York campaign.

Osaka was visibly hampered during her Monday' match by pain in her leg — was philosophical about her loss.

"Maybe I'm just getting older, but I don't feel sad," Osaka said. "I think, also, if I reflect on my career and the things that I've been able to do, there's nothing that I regret or there's nothing that I'm sad about ... If I win another Grand Slam, it's not going to change my life."

Tien pushes a veteran to the brink

On the men's side, 20-year-old Asian American phenom Learner Tien gave fans the match of the tournament in the Round of 16. 

The Next Gen graduate, coached by the former Grand Slam champion Michael Chang, pushed veteran Karen Khachanov to the absolute limit in a grueling, physical four-hour epic. Tien ultimately ran out of gas in the final stretch, falling just short in five sets: 5-7, 6-4, 7-6, 1-6, 4-6. 

Despite the exit, Tien has shown that we'll be hearing more about him in the future. His showing at the US Open proves he belongs on the sport's biggest stages. 

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