Into the final in Wuhan, Pegula reflects on her most memorable matches

What an Asian swing for Jessica Pegula.

Three-set match after three-set match after three-set match. Marathon tiebreakers. Come-from-behind wins.

It's been a productive month in China for Pegula, who helped lead the United States to the Billie Jean King Cup final in Shenzhen before making back-to-back strong runs in Beijing and Wuhan. But it's been anything but easy.

Since the start of the China Open, eight of the American's nine matches have gone the distance. 

Her latest three-set win came on Saturday, a 2-6, 6-4, 7-6(2) victory over No. 1-ranked Aryna Sabalenka to reach the final in Wuhan. For certain, one of the biggest wins of her season. 

Earlier int he week, the World No. 6 Pegula was asked which matches over the course of her career stick out as the most memorable. 

Interestingly, the 31-year-old chose a pair of losses to Sabalenka at the US Open -- the 2024 final and the semifinal in New York last month.

"They were both really crazy, super entertaining, in a full [Arthur Ashe Stadium]," Pegula told reporters. "It was super loud, being an American. Even though I lost both of them, that atmosphere, and the level we showed, put them up there as two of the best matches."

She then picked a third match, this one a win over Karolina Muchova in the 2024 US Open semis. After dropping the first set 6-1, Pegula stormed back to take the next two sets to advance to her first-ever Slam final.

"Coming back in the Muchova semifinal last year was, mentally, a huge hurdle," the nine-time Hologic WTA Tour champion said. "The way I was able to close that out in three, those kinds of matches are what come to mind, just in terms of the level, the different challenges, playing great players. Just being on Ashe as an American, with the atmosphere, is something that is super special."

Winning in Wuhan this weekend would also be super special. It would be her fourth career WTA 1000 title, after winning in Guadalajara in 2022 and back-to-back Canadian Open trophies in 2023 and 2024.

As it happens, Pegula will play Sabalenka -- who has a 20-0 record in Wuhan -- for a spot in the final.

Will this one be as memorable as the matches in Ashe? We sure hope so.