The semifinal round of the U.S. Open women's singles draw kicks off on Thursday night.
For the second consecutive year, it'll feature two American women.
Emma Navarro will look to continue her impressive run but faces the toughest test in women's tennis against world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka, who has won two of the last three Grand Slams on a hard-court surface.
Meanwhile, Jessica Pegula, who recently overcame her quarterfinal adversity (having previously gone 0-6 in major quarterfinals), is set to face Karolina Muchova, who is returning to the semifinals for the second consecutive year.
Here's when the action begins and what you can expect from each match.
TV Schedule and Information
Location: Arthur Ashe Stadium
Time: 7:00 p.m. EST (Sabalenka vs. Navarro), 8:15 p.m. (Pegula vs. Muchova)
TV: ESPN, ESPN Deportes
Streaming: ESPN+
Aryna Sabalenka vs. Emma Navarro
Emma Navarro's impressive season reached new heights on Tuesday after defeating Paula Badosa to reach her maiden Grand Slam semifinal.
The 23-year-old American will take on Aryna Sabalenka, who has been absolutely dominant since falling to Amanda Anisimova at the National Bank Open in Montreal, Canada.
The Belarusian has won 10 straight matches and, in her 2024 U.S. Open campaign, has dropped just one set while winning at least 69 percent of points on her first serve across every match.
The world No. 2 also poses a threat in return games, and in her last two matches, she has won 67 percent of each opponent's second-service points.
Navarro poses a potential challenge for the No. 2 seed, who has won two of the last three hard-court Grand Slams; however, given Sabalenka's experience at this stage and current form, she should be able to advance nonetheless.
Prediction: Sabalenka in three sets
Jessica Pegula vs. Karolina Muchova
Jessica Pegula has gotten over the quarterfinal hump and, in her seventh attempt, is finally moving on to a Grand Slam semifinal.
The 30-year-old American has been one of the best performers since the summer hard-court swing began, winning 14 of her last 15 matches.
Throughout her 2024 U.S. Open campaign, she has yet to drop a set, earning impressive back-to-back victories against No. 18 seed Diana Shnaider and, most recently, 2022 Open champion Iga Swiatek.
For the second time in as many weeks, the sixth-seed will face Karolina Muchova (Pegula leads 1-0 in completed matches).
Muchova hasn't dropped a set at the U.S. Open either, and she's more than capable of keeping things close, as she's been one of the most consistent performers as of late.
However, given the way Pegula has played recently, she should be able to persevere in a hard-fought battle.
Prediction: Pegula in three sets
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