‘Billion Dollar Baby’ vs Sabalenka for title

MANILA, Philippines — Jessica Pegula scripted an astonishing comeback “just in the nick of time” to defeat Karolina Muchova on Thursday at the US Open and reach her first Grand Slam final, where she meets big-hitting Aryna Sabalenka for the title.

The American world No. 6 Pegula battled back from a set and a break down to record a gutsy 1-6, 6-4, 6-2 victory over her 52nd-ranked opponent from the Czech Republic.

Double Australian Open champion and world No. 2 Sabalenka reached her second successive US Open final by seeing off another American, Emma Navarro, 6-3, 7-6 (7/2).

“I thought I was lucky to still be in it,” admitted Pegula.

“She made me look like a beginner, she was destroying me and I was about to burst into tears, but it all came down to small moments. I don’t know how I turned that around.”

Pegula has now won 15 of 16 matches on the US summer hardcourt swing, which saw a title in Toronto and defeat in the Cincinnati final to Sabalenka.

But she has found it almost impossible to separate her fortunes from those of father Terry Pegula who owns the Buffalo Bills NFL team as well as the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres.

Forbes estimates the oil magnate’s net worth to be $7.7 billion.