Jessica Pegula ensured there will be four American players in the US Open semi-finals after a stunning straight-sets victory over top seed Iga Swiatek before men's title favourite Jannik Sinner advanced with an impressive win over Daniil Medvedev.
Sixth-ranked Pegula booked a place in the last-four of a Grand Slam for the first time by sweeping past Swiatek 6-2, 6-4. On Thursday, she will tackle Karolina Muchova, who saw off Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil 6-1, 6-4, for a place in the final.
Pegula joined compatriot Emma Navarro in the semi-finals after the 13th seed defeated Paula Badosa on Tuesday. Navarro, who toppled defending champion, and another American, Coco Gauff in the quarter-finals, tackles world No 2 and Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka in the other women's semi-final.
While there is a good chance an American woman will contest the final, the host country is guaranteed a finalist in the men's draw, with Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe set to meet in a last-four clash on Friday.
Pegula's march to the semi-finals is reward for her fine form; she has now won 14 times in 15 matches on US hard courts this summer.
"Finally I can say I'm a semi-finalist. I lost so many of these things," said the American, who had lost six times at the quarter-final stage at the majors. "Thanks to the crowd. I sent over a 65mph second serve (on a third match point) because I was so tight."
Swiatek was undone by 41 unforced errors and was left to ponder an uneven season at the Grand Slams. There was the high of a fourth French Open triumph but that was sandwiched by third-round exits at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.
At the Paris Olympics, played on her favourite Roland Garros courts, she had to settle for the bronze medal.
"It's hard to have low expectations when everybody is expecting something from you," said Swiatek.
Muchova's win over Haddad Maia came despite having to sprint to the bathroom early in the second set, a dash which caught everyone on the hop.
"I had a problem that I wouldn't like to comment on," said the 28-year-old. "I really didn't have any other choice."
After losing to eventual champion Gauff in the 2023 semi-finals, Muchova suffered a serious wrist injury which sidelined her until June this year.
A former world No 8, now ranked at 52, Muchova has yet to drop a set, knocking out two-time champion Naomi Osaka and this year's French Open and Wimbledon runner-up Jasmine Paolini.
Sinner to face Draper for place in final
In the last match of the day, top seed Sinner defeated 2021 US Open champion and two-time runner-up Medvedev 6-2, 1-6, 6-1, 6-4.
He will take on 25th-ranked Jack Draper for a place in the final after the British player made his first semi-final at the Slams with a 6-3, 7-5, 6-2 win over Australia's Alex de Minaur
Sinner, 23, is the only top-10 man to make the semi-finals with No 12 Fritz due to face Tiafoe, ranked 20, in Friday's other last-four duel.
"It was very tough, I knew it would be very physical," said Sinner, who had also beaten Medvedev to capture the Australian Open. "It was strange in the first two sets, whoever got the break started to roll."
Medvedev had to save 10 of 15 break points while his dream of making a 10th Slam semi-final was undermined by 57 unforced errors.
Draper pulled off the victory over 10th-ranked De Minaur despite taking a medical timeout early in the second set to have his right thigh bandaged.
"It's amazing. My first time on Arthur Ashe Stadium, it means the world to me," said Draper, who had lost three times in three meetings with De Minaur before Wednesday. "I played a solid match and I feel the best, fitness-wise, that I have felt in a long time."
Draper is the first British man to make the last four since Andy Murray won the title 12 years ago. He has made the semi-finals without dropping a set as he continued an impressive summer run which saw him capture his first ATP title in Stuttgart and then defeat Carlos Alcaraz at Queen's Club.
Draper sent down 11 aces among his 40 winners while forcing De Minaur to fend off 14 of 20 break points. The British player enjoys a 1-0 lead over Sinner in the pair's head-to-head record although that win at Queen's came three years ago.
Monster
Directed by: Anthony Mandler
Starring: Kelvin Harrison Jr., John David Washington
3/5
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Essentials
The flights
Etihad (etihad.ae) and flydubai (flydubai.com) fly direct to Baku three times a week from Dh1,250 return, including taxes.
The stay
A seven-night “Fundamental Detox” programme at the Chenot Palace (chenotpalace.com/en) costs from €3,000 (Dh13,197) per person, including taxes, accommodation, 3 medical consultations, 2 nutritional consultations, a detox diet, a body composition analysis, a bio-energetic check-up, four Chenot bio-energetic treatments, six Chenot energetic massages, six hydro-aromatherapy treatments, six phyto-mud treatments, six hydro-jet treatments and access to the gym, indoor pool, sauna and steam room. Additional tests and treatments cost extra.
Six tips to secure your smart home
Most smart home devices are controlled via the owner's smartphone. Therefore, if you are using public wi-fi on your phone, always use a VPN (virtual private network) that offers strong security features and anonymises your internet connection.
Keep your smart home devices’ software up-to-date. Device makers often send regular updates - follow them without fail as they could provide protection from a new security risk.
Use two-factor authentication so that in addition to a password, your identity is authenticated by a second sign-in step like a code sent to your mobile number.
Set up a separate guest network for acquaintances and visitors to ensure the privacy of your IoT devices’ network.
Change the default privacy and security settings of your IoT devices to take extra steps to secure yourself and your home.
Always give your router a unique name, replacing the one generated by the manufacturer, to ensure a hacker cannot ascertain its make or model number.
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
Family reunited
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was born and raised in Tehran and studied English literature before working as a translator in the relief effort for the Japanese International Co-operation Agency in 2003.
She moved to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies before moving to the World Health Organisation as a communications officer.
She came to the UK in 2007 after securing a scholarship at London Metropolitan University to study a master's in communication management and met her future husband through mutual friends a month later.
The couple were married in August 2009 in Winchester and their daughter was born in June 2014.
She was held in her native country a year later.
Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion
The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.
Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".
The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.
He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.
"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.
As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.
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Porsche Taycan Turbo specs
Engine: Two permanent-magnet synchronous AC motors
Transmission: two-speed
Power: 671hp
Torque: 1050Nm
Range: 450km
Price: Dh601,800
On sale: now
Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
