Aryna Sabalenka Reaches Fourth Consecutive US Open Final, Chasing Tennis History

Aryna Sabalenka stands just one win away from tennis history after securing her spot in a fourth consecutive US Open final with a straight-sets victory over Jessica Pegula on Thursday. The defending champion overcame an edgy start to defeat the third-seeded American 7-5, 6-2 at Arthur Ashe Stadium, setting up a championship clash with Elena Rybakina. A victory on Saturday would make Sabalenka the first woman since Serena Williams to capture three successive US Open titles, and only the third player in the Open Era—alongside Williams and Chris Evert—to achieve the feat.

“I was so desperate for the win, I wanted it badly,” Aryna Sabalenka said. The top seed had to work through her frustration before finding the form that has carried her to the brink of another title. She fired seven aces and struck 29 winners, gradually overwhelming Jessica Pegula from the baseline before closing out the match with an unrightable shot deep into the American's court.

Jessica Pegula, who previously lost to Aryna Sabalenka in the 2024 final, briefly threatened to unsettle the Belarusian player. She saved an early break point with a superb forehand winner and held her nerve as Aryna Sabalenka's frustration boiled over. A double fault in the ninth game prompted Aryna Sabalenka to smash her racquet against the court, and she threw it down again after Jessica Pegula held serve in the 10th game. However, the defending champion responded in ideal fashion, breaking Jessica Pegula from the baseline on set point and carrying that momentum into the second set to secure a 3-1 lead with a forehand winner.

From that point, Jessica Pegula struggled to match the heavy power coming from across the net. Aryna Sabalenka secured another break to move within touching distance of victory and sealed the match with a fierce strike. “No complaints,” Aryna Sabalenka said. “I'm super happy to pull out that kind of tennis.” The victory successfully avenged her semi-final defeat against Jessica Pegula at the Berlin tournament in June and earned the Belarusian the respect of a partisan New York crowd.

Earlier in the day, Elena Rybakina produced a stirring comeback to defeat Coco Gauff 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, advancing to her third Grand Slam final. Coco Gauff started the match stronger, utilizing her defense and consistency to frustrate the Kazakh player and break in the sixth game before claiming the opening set amid a raucous atmosphere.

Elena Rybakina steadied her play, capitalizing on a string of errors from the fourth-seeded American to level the match. “I just took a deep breath and just had a positive talk with myself to try and show some good tennis,” Elena Rybakina said. The 27-year-old raised her intensity in the deciding set, breaking for a 5-3 lead. Although Coco Gauff immediately responded, she was unable to hold her serve again as Elena Rybakina closed out the match.

The result also concluded American hopes in the women's singles draw. Combined with Jessica Pegula's earlier loss, Coco Gauff's defeat means that for the first time since 2006, no American woman has reached a Grand Slam final in a calendar year.