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Aryna Sabalenka on brink of US Open trifecta after blitzing Jessica Pegula
The Guardian • • general
Key Points:
- Aryna Sabalenka, the two-time defending US Open champion, defeated Jessica Pegula 7-5, 6-2 in the semi-finals, extending her winning streak at Flushing Meadows to 19 matches and moving one win away from a third consecutive title.
- Sabalenka dominated with 29 winners to Pegula’s 12 and maintained relentless aggression, particularly excelling in key moments such as saving break points and breaking Pegula’s serve twice in the second set.
- The match marked the first time since 1975 that the top four women’s seeds reached the US Open semi-finals, highlighting the high level of competition this year.
- Sabalenka credited a recent loss to Pegula on grass for sharpening her focus and expressed indifference about losing the world No. 1 ranking, emphasizing her concentration on winning the tournament.
- Sabalenka will face Elena Rybakina in the final, with the potential to join Chris Evert and Serena Williams as the third woman to win three straight US Open titles, despite her upcoming loss of the No. 1 ranking.
