Sabalenka rolls past Pegula, will vie for three-peat in US Open final

Aryna Sabalenka, the No. 1 seed, has booked her place in the US Open final after a convincing 7-5, 6-2 victory over Jessica Pegula in the semifinal on Thursday night in New York. With this result, the Belarusian is just one match away from a third consecutive Grand Slam title at Flushing Meadows — a feat last achieved by Serena Williams in the 2026-2026 period. The semifinal saw a tight start as the first set extended to 7-5. Sabalenka's most important tactical highlight was her aggressive attack on Pegula's second serves — a deliberate strategy to exploit the weakness in her opponent's service game. Instead of allowing the match to fall into a baseline exchange, she constantly created pressure right from the return of serve, converting from defensive to offensive instantly at the start of each point. The second set witnessed a spectacular surge from Sabalenka as she cruised to a 6-2 victory. This was considered her most impressive stretch of the tournament as her serving and powerful forehand worked to perfection. Though only the set scoreline is recorded, her performance showed superior class when entering the decisive phase. Sabalenka's opponent in Saturday's final will be the winner between No. 2 seed Elena Rybakina and No. 4 seed Coco Gauff. Both are formidable top-tier opponents on hard courts, promising a truly quality final with two genuine title contenders. Notably, Sabalenka is defending 2,000 Grand Slam champion points at this very tournament — the biggest points-defense pressure of her season. A win in the final will help her maintain her No. 1 world ranking, while a loss would cost her approximately 700 points compared to her current total. This match is not just tactically significant but also an opportunity to affirm the class of a true champion. From a media perspective, the comparison to Serena Williams has created an inspiring narrative. If she wins, Sabalenka will become the first player since Serena to achieve this milestone — a historic marker that elevates her brand value and status in the world of tennis.