Jessica Pegula Advances in Miami Open with Subtle Dolphins Dig

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Jessica Pegula, ranked No. 4 in the world, secured a spot in the semifinals of the Miami Open on Wednesday, edging out Great Britain’s Emma Raducanu, ranked No. 60, with a score of 6-4, 6(3)-7, 6-2. The match, held at Hard Rock Stadium, was significant for Pegula, who expressed her love for competing at the venue, famously home to the NFL’s Miami Dolphins.

“I love playing here,” Pegula said in a post-match interview. “I love playing at home. I love getting wins in the Dolphins’ stadium, just saying. Sorry guys. I always play really well here. I really do.”

This victory sets Pegula up to face No. 140 Alexandra Eala of the Philippines in the semifinals on Thursday night. Eala advanced through the tournament as an unseeded player, making her matchup with Pegula an intriguing matchup.

Pegula halted Raducanu’s unexpected run through the tournament, which included victories over several Americans. Raducanu’s journey was highlighted by a second-round win against No. 10 Emma Navarro and a Round of 16 victory against No. 17 Amanda Anisimova.

“I played against tough players, and I managed to come through some hard matches,” Raducanu said after the match. “I gained a lot of confidence this week.”

With this performance, Raducanu is projected to rise to No. 48 in the WTA rankings, affirming her growth on the tour following her previous success at the 2021 U.S. Open.

Pegula, who is vying for her eighth career singles title, highlighted her past struggles at the Miami Open semifinals, where she has advanced twice before but did not win a set in either appearance. “It’s my third semifinal, so I’m hoping the third time’s the charm,” she said. “I want to make it to that final so bad, and I’ll give it another shot tomorrow night.”

During her quarterfinal match, Pegula hit 48 winners and committed 27 unforced errors, while Raducanu recorded 30 winners against 18 unforced errors. Pegula’s powerful serve yielded six aces compared to Raducanu’s three, as the American converted 4 of 9 break points, with Raducanu converting just 1 of 6.

If Pegula continues her winning streak, she could potentially surpass fellow American Coco Gauff to become the highest-ranked American women’s tennis player. Pegula’s parents, Terry and Kim Pegula, have made headlines for their ownership of the NFL’s Buffalo Bills and the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres. They acquired the Bills in 2014 for $1.4 billion, leveraging their fortune from hydraulic fracturing and natural gas drilling.

In other matches scheduled for Thursday, world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus will face No. 7 Jasmine Paolini of Italy in the first women’s semifinal at Hard Rock Stadium. The women’s final is set for Saturday at the same venue.

On the men’s side, the action continues with No. 18 Arthur Fils of France facing No. 54 Jakub Mensik of the Czech Republic, followed by No. 5 Novak Djokovic of Serbia against No. 25 Sebastian Korda of the U.S. Additionally, No. 4 Taylor Fritz will take on No. 30 Matteo Berrettini of Italy in the final men’s singles quarterfinal.