Aryna Sabalenka in action during a Women’s Singles semifinal match on Day Twelve of the 2026 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Thursday, September 10, 2026 in Flushing, NY. (Photo by Mike Lawrence/USTA)
(September 10, 2026) FLUSHING MEADOWS, NY – Aryna Sabalenka has reached her fourth consecutive US Open final with a 7-5, 6-2 win over Jessica Pegula in the semifinals. She will play the winner of the other semifinal Coco Gauff vs. Elena Rybakina.
The No. 3 Pegula said that Sabalenka “probably the best match she’s played this year. I mean, I thought her level was insanely high.
“Maybe she felt a little bit off at the beginning, but I feel like we were both playing well, serving well. Then, yeah, I don’t know who pissed her off today, but she — hopefully it wasn’t me totally, but might have been. I don’t know. She played insane. She played a super-high level.
“Honestly, I don’t really know if there was much I could do today.”
“I’m super happy that I was able to play on such high level, especially against Jess,” Sabalenka said. “In the last matches we played, she’s been able to push me so far, and it was really tough to get a win against her.
“To get this win in straight sets today really impressed me, to be honest. I’m really happy.”
“Think I had some chances, and then it just seemed like she kept finding ways to hit some really good shots on big points, good second serves,” Pegula said in her media conference.
“I mean, I know she double-faulted maybe a few times, but still, she was hitting like the back of the lines on her second serves, pushing me back. I honestly don’t know if she missed a backhand the entire match. Like, I really want to check. I don’t think she missed a backhand. Maybe a few backhand returns at the beginning, and then she just dialed it in.
“Even the break point, I hit a good return, and she just rips a forehand cross. Yeah, it was rough today.
“Yeah, I did my best. I thought I didn’t play bad. I think I’ve actually played worse against her before, but I think that level was probably the highest I’ve seen from her, considering I don’t think I played bad at all.”
“I was super desperate, Sabalenka admitted. “I lost tough match on grass against Jess, and I wasn’t really performing well in the middle part of the season. So it kind of like feels for me, talking about Grand Slams, like a last push of the season. I wanted it badly to go to the finals, and of course, I want to go all the way.
“The mentality was just I’m ready. I’m ready for whatever it’s going to take to get the win.”
As for her next opponent, either Coco Gauff or Elena Rybakina, the top seed said” Well, both are incredible players, and I had really big finals against both this year.
“If it’s Elena, it’s going to be a really — it’s going to be really tough match. She’s a big server. She really improved over the years on the baseline game, so it’s going to be physically and mentally tough match.
“But, as I said, I’m ready for the fight. I’m ready to do everything to get the win, so I’m excited for that match.
“If it’s going to be Coco, I need my revenge for the US Open — I don’t remember when which year it was, but I need my revenge. She’s a challenging player as well. She’s moving well. She’s serving much better. She really makes you work for every point.
“I love that challenge. I love that physical challenge playing against Coco, and I’m also excited facing her.”
Sabalenka has now won 19 straight matches at the US Open.
More to follow…
https://x.com/usopen/status/2098210085449146425?s=20
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