Aryna Sabalenka defeats Jessica Pegula 7-5, 6-2 to reach fourth consecutive U.S. Open final

Semifinal victory at Arthur Ashe

Aryna Sabalenka defeated Jessica Pegula 7-5, 6-2 on Thursday night at Arthur Ashe Stadium to reach the U.S. Open final in New York. The top seed needed 89 minutes to overcome the 32-year-old American, firing 29 winners and seven aces in front of spectators that included former U.S. first lady Michelle Obama. The victory sends Sabalenka into her fourth consecutive title match at Flushing Meadows, putting her one win away from a third consecutive U.S. Open championship following titles in 2024 and 2025.

I was so desperate for the win, I wanted it badly.

Turning points in the first and second sets

The opening set remained level through 11 consecutive holds of serve as Pegula used flat power down the middle of the court to restrict Sabalenka's angles. Sabalenka displayed frustration during tight exchanges, whacking her racket against the court after a double fault in the ninth game and throwing it to the ground after Pegula held serve in the tenth. Pegula earned her sole break point of the entire match at 4-4, but Sabalenka erased the danger with a serve and forehand combination. Serving at 5-6, Pegula double-faulted under pressure, and Sabalenka converted her second set point by attacking deep down the center.

Pegula came under sustained pressure early in the second set during her second service game. Although Pegula saved three break points, Sabalenka converted the fourth opportunity with an aggressive baseline return winner to establish a 3-1 lead. Pegula captured only one more game in the match as Sabalenka dictated rallies, eventually breaking Pegula once more on match point with an unreturnable shot.

Head-to-head record and ranking shift

The result extends Sabalenka's tournament dominance over Pegula in New York. Sabalenka previously defeated the American in the 2024 U.S. Open final and the 2025 quarterfinals. The victory follows a four-month stretch of uneven form for Sabalenka, who had struggled for consistency after April following an unbeaten start in the opening quarter of the year. Sabalenka advanced to the semifinals with a Tuesday victory over Linda Nosková. Regardless of Saturday's championship result, Sabalenka will surrender the world No. 1 ranking next week to Elena Rybakina.

A top-seeded final four

Sabalenka will contest Saturday's final against the winner of the match between second seed Elena Rybakina and fourth seed Coco Gauff, the 2023 tournament champion. The 2026 edition represents only the second time in the Open Era (since 1968) that the top four women's seeds advanced to the U.S. Open semifinals. The only previous occurrence took place in 1975, when Chris Evert, Virginia Wade, Martina Navratilova, and Evonne Goolagong Cawley comprised the final four. Across all Grand Slam tournaments, the top four women's seeds had not reached the semifinals together since Wimbledon in 2009, when Dinara Safina, Serena Williams, Venus Williams, and Elena Dementieva qualified.