With honey deuce in hand, Pegula able to laugh at herself after US Open loss

Jessica Pegula has a wonderful sense of humor, even in the face of agonizing defeat.

And she showed it off just past midnight on Friday morning, shortly after her painful US Open semifinal loss to Aryna Sabalenka.

"When you lost 4 points on serve in the 3rd but you lost the match," the World No. 4 wrote on X, a Honey Deuce cocktail in hand. 

After splitting the first two sets in a rematch of last year's US Open final, the American served absolutely brilliantly in the third, winning 18 of 22 points on serve — including a stretch of 14 straight — with love holds in her last four service games.

But Sabalenka managed to break twice and held steady on her serve, with Pegula unable to convert four break-point opportunities in the decider. The World No. 1 closed it out 6-4 en route to her third straight US Open final.

In her post-match press conference, as she was enjoying a root beer-flavored lollipop -- three years after she downed a Heineken in the presser after falling to Iga Swiatek in the quarters -- the 31-year-old seemed at peace with her deep run in Flushing Meadows, knowing she gave it everything she had.

"I've felt good against the top players," Pegula said. "I know I didn't play a seed until I got here, but I was playing good tennis. Considering where my summer started and how it was going, how it was trending, I'm happy to walk away with putting in the effort that I was able to put in tonight, against the best player in the world right now."

Kudos to Pegula for maintaining perspective even in disappointment, and for being able to laugh at herself after such a tough loss.