World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka is now just one victory away from capturing a third consecutive US Open crown. On Thursday night she defeated fellow American Jessica Pegula 7‑5, 6‑2, showcasing a dominant performance that propelled her into the semifinals.
Dominant Play Secures Victory
Sabalenka took control early, blasting 29 winners while limiting Pegula to 12. She dominated the second‑serve points, winning 14 of 19, and turned the match into a decisive rout after a tightly contested first set.
“No complaints,” Sabalenka said after the win. “I’m just super happy that I was able to pull out such tennis.” Her confidence reflects a season‑long surge, having won 19 straight matches at the US Open since a loss to Coco Gauff in the 2023 final.
What Lies Ahead
In the semifinal, Sabalenka will face either No. 2 seed Elena Rybakina or No. 4 seed Coco Gauff on Saturday. A victory would make her the first player since Serena Williams (2012‑14) to win three US Open titles in a row.
Rybakina is set to overtake Sabalenka atop the women’s rankings next week, and Sabalenka has indicated she would be comfortable ceding the No. 1 spot after a historic run of 99 consecutive weeks at the top.
Historical Context
The top four seeds reaching the women’s semifinals marks the first such occurrence since 1975. While Sabalenka, Rybakina and Gauff have multiple major titles, Pegula continues to chase her first Grand Slam victory.
Sabalenka’s powerful game, especially on the hard courts of Flushing Meadows, proved too much for Pegula, who fought valiantly but could not match the Belarusian’s relentless pace.
Original reporting: KSAT Sports (San Antonio) — read the source article.
