Aryna Sabalenka is one win away from securing her third consecutive US Open title after a commanding 7-5, 6-2 victory over Jessica Pegula in Thursday night's semi-final. The top-seeded Belarusian's relentless aggression was evident, as she hit 29 winners compared to Pegula's 12, marking her 19th straight win at Flushing Meadows.
Pegula, the third seed, acknowledged Sabalenka's exceptional performance, stating, "She played insane. She played a super-high level. Honestly, I don’t really know if there was much I could do today." Sabalenka herself agreed, noting, "I felt like whatever decision I would make, it is the right decision."
The match, which was the first time the top four women's seeds had reached the US Open semi-finals since 1975, saw Sabalenka maintain a brisk pace. Despite a tight first set where Pegula had a break point opportunity, Sabalenka found another gear to close it out 7-5. She then carried this momentum into the second set, breaking Pegula twice to seal the victory.
Sabalenka will now compete in Saturday's final against the winner of the match between Elena Rybakina and Coco Gauff. While she aims for a third straight title, her 99-week reign as world No 1 is set to conclude when the rankings are updated on Monday, regardless of the final's outcome.