Pegula's secret weapon to challenge Sabalenka: "She has worked tremendously on it"

Jessica Pegula faces one of the most important matches of her season in the early hours of tomorrow. The American will compete against Aryna Sabalenka for a spot in the final of the US Open 2026, a clash that will put two very different styles head-to-head and will require the American to reach her best version.

Mark Knowles, one of her two coaches, spoke with Tennis Channel about his pupil’s spectacular tournament and focused on one of the major developments that could make a difference against the world number one: her serve.

“For Jess, obviously, the most important thing is always consistency. It’s never easy; there’s a lot of pressure on American players when they come to this tournament, but she loves playing here. It’s one of her favorite tournaments and she always rises to that pressure,” explained the 55-year-old former player.

Pegula has once again demonstrated her ability to stay in matches, even when things get tough in New York. Her coach is particularly pleased after seeing her overcome tricky situations without losing her cool. “I was very impressed with her ability to not panic, realizing that she had the confidence to make a comeback,” he noted.

The Key Piece to Defeat Sabalenka

But if there is one aspect that could be decisive against Sabalenka, it is the serve. Against a player who can turn any short ball into a problem, giving away few points and starting exchanges with an advantage can be a matter of survival. Knowles confirms that Pegula has been working on it for some time. “She has worked very hard on her serve. I think we’ve been able to help her in a couple of aspects and she’s serving really well,” he concluded.

The improvement, moreover, does not only consist of hitting harder. “She has learned a bit more about where to hit the ball at its peak, depending on whether she wants slice, kick or flat,” explained the coach, who even joked about the ceiling that his player can still reach: “She’s a champion; she will keep working until she can serve like Sampras.”

The American has also found an unexpected source of learning in practice sessions. Knowles revealed that Pegula even takes advantage of her sessions with Ben Shelton to ask him details about serving, especially about the kick that his father, Bryan Shelton, popularized. “One of Jess’s great qualities is that she always tries to improve, she’s always trying to learn. Not all athletes are like that,” he emphasized.

And here lies one of the keys to this semifinal. Sabalenka does not usually give too much time to think. Her tennis forces players to constantly respond to the power, depth, and speed of her shots. Therefore, Pegula will need to weather that storm, but also find her own moments to take the initiative.

Her coach is confident in her ability to process information. “One thing is to hear something, and another is to try to apply it. She does a very good job of absorbing information and transferring it immediately.” The definitive test will come in the early hours tomorrow. Sabalenka will be a mountain of power, but Pegula arrives at the appointment with experience, confidence, and a serve that seems to have taken a step forward.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, El arma secreta de Pegula para desafiar a Sabalenka: “Ha trabajado muchísimo en ello”