Sabalenka beats Pegula to reach US Open final

Aryna Sabalenka defeated Jessica Pegula 7-5, 6-2 in the US Open semifinals at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Thursday, moving within one win of a rare third consecutive title at the hardcourt major. The top seed will face either Coco Gauff or Elena Rybakina in the final, the outcome of which will also decide the world No. 1 ranking. Sabalenka, the two-time defending champion, showed visible frustration early in the match, throwing her racket to the court after a double fault in the ninth game and again as Pegula held serve in the 10th. She found her level as the set progressed, breaking on set point, then pulled away in the second set with a forehand winner on break point to go up 3-1 before sealing the match on her second break of the set. According to Reuters, she finished with 29 winners and seven aces, closing the contest with an unreturnable shot. The third-seeded Pegula, the 2024 runner-up, began with poise, saving an early break point with a forehand winner, but costly errors in the second set undermined her efforts. She had reached the semifinal by coming from a set down to beat fellow American Emma Navarro 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 in a delayed quarterfinal on Tuesday.