The 28-year-old Belarusian showcased her power throughout the encounter, recording 29 winners and seven aces. With this victory, Sabalenka moves one step closer to joining tennis legends Chris Evert and Serena Williams as the only women to secure three consecutive US Open championships. She now awaits the result of the second semifinal between Elena Rybakina and Coco Gauff to determine her opponent for Saturday’s final.
A Tactical Battle and a Decisive Finish
The opening set proved to be a tightly contested affair, with Pegula successfully defending her serve and limiting Sabalenka’s chances early on. The momentum shifted in the twelfth game when, with Pegula serving at 5-6, Sabalenka applied significant pressure. After navigating three set points and overcoming an initial missed opportunity, the top seed forced a decisive error from Pegula, who sent a forehand into the net to concede the set.
Carrying that momentum into the second set, Sabalenka began to dominate by attacking Pegula’s second serve. A crucial break gave the Belarusian a 3-1 lead, which she consolidated with aggressive baseline play. Sabalenka eventually closed out the match in style, sealing the win with a powerful forehand on match point. For Pegula, the loss represents another difficult exit at a major tournament, having previously fallen to Sabalenka in the 2024 final and the 2025 semifinals.
Tournament Context and Rankings
While Sabalenka continues her pursuit of the trophy, the
As the women’s draw nears its conclusion, the focus in New York shifts toward the men’s semifinals scheduled for Friday. Ben Shelton, who eliminated defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a late-night quarter-final, is set to face Frances Tiafoe. In the other half of the draw, Alexander Zverev will compete against Karen Khachanov for a place in the final.
