Jessica Pegula rallies to reach first major final and face Aryna Sabalenka at US Open

• American defeats Karolina Muchova 1-6, 6-4, 6-2 in New York
• No 2 seed beats Emma Navarro 6-3, 7-6(2) in women's semi-final

Just 40 minutes into her long-awaited first grand slam semi-final, Jessica Pegula was on the verge of a crushing defeat. Across the net, Karolina Muchova had produced a vision of perfectly crafted all-court tennis, ridiculous winners flying off her racket from all parts of the court, while Pegula simply could not find her range. She soon faced yet another break point while trailing 1-6, 0-2, her hopes of victory fading by the minute.

However, over the past few years, as Pegula has embedded herself at the top of the WTA tour, her success has been a reflection of her toughness. Pegula may not be the flashiest or most naturally gifted player, but she will make life extremely difficult for all adversaries. The American gave a spectacular exhibition of her resilience in the biggest match of her career so far, willing herself back into contention before holding on to reach her first grand slam final with a brilliant 1-6, 6-4, 6-2 comeback win over Muchova.