The current World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka moved one step closer to a third consecutive U.S. Open title Thursday, defeating third-ranked Jessica Pegula 7-5, 6-2 in the women’s singles semifinal in New York.
The match was even through most of the first set, but Sabalenka found another gear late, taking advantage of Pegula’s second serve and carrying that momentum into the second set. She turned the final set into arguably her most impressive stretch of tennis in the tournament.
“No complaints,” the 28-year-old Belarusian tennis star said after securing a spot in Saturday’s final. “I’m just super happy that I was able to pull out such tennis.”
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Sabalenka will face the winner of the semifinal between No. 2 seed Elena Rybakina and No. 4 seed Coco Gauff on Saturday. A win over either opponent would make her the first women’s player since Serena Williams from 2012-14 to win three consecutive U.S. Open titles.
Rybakina will replace Sabalenka atop the women’s tennis rankings next week, and Sabalenka said this week she would be fine ceding No. 1 after she held it.
It will be hard to prevent that if she hits the ball Saturday the way she did against Pegula.
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Sabalenka pounded 29 winners to Pegula’s 12, turning their third straight meeting at the end of the U.S. Open into a rout, after her victory in the 2024 final and 2025 semifinals were tight most of the way.
“I was so desperate for the win, I wanted it badly,” Sabalenka said.
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She has won 19 straight matches at the U.S. Open since losing to Gauff in the 2023 final.