By Richard Pagliaro | Saturday, September 20, 2025
Photo credit: Billie Jean King Cup Facebook
Jessica Pegula and Emma Navarro went the distance to lead the United States back to the Billie Jean King Cup final.
The seventh-ranked Pegula rallied past Briton Katie Boulter 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 giving Team USA an insurmountable 2-0 lead over Great Britain in today’s best-of-three-match Billie Jean King Cup semifinals at Shenzhen Bay Sports Centre Arena in Shenzhen, China.
Earlier, Navarro fought back from a set and a break down defeating Sonay Kartal 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 staking the Americans to a 1-0 lead and setting the stage for Pegula’s heroics.
Captain Lindsay Davenport’s squad will face defending-champion Italy in tomorrow’s BJK Cup Final.
It is the United States’ first BJK Cup final since it lost to Czechia 3-0 in the 2018 final.
The Americans are playing for a record-extending 19th BJK Cup championship in their 31st final.
Down a set and a break, Navarro showed strength and stamina roaring back. Kartal drew a floated forehand to break back for 2-3 in the third set at the two-hour mark.
Shaking it off, Navarro pounced on second serves breaking back at love to stretch her lead to 4-2.
A sharp Navarro ran off eight straight points seizing a 5-2 lead.
On her second match point, Navarro drew an errant backhand to seal the opening win in two hours, 13 minutes.
“Best team in the world so let’s go,” Navarro said. “I had a ton of support from the ladies over there and from Lindsay as well. I feel a lot of pride playing for my country.
“It means the world to me to have the American flag on my chest. I’ll never give up anyway, but I’ll never give up when I have the American flag on my chest.”
