September 11, 2026 | 12:54 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Aryna Sabalenka moved one step closer to a historic US Open three-peat after powering past Jessica Pegula 7-5, 6-2 in the semifinals on Thursday. The defending champion will face Elena Rybakina in Saturday’s final, with the chance to become the first player since Serena Williams from 2012 to 2014 to win three consecutive titles at Flushing Meadows.
Sabalenka may lose her No. 1 ranking to Rybakina on Monday, but the US Open trophy remains entirely in her hands. According to ESPN, Rybakina secured the top ranking by reaching the semifinals, meaning Sabalenka could not prevent the change at the top of the WTA rankings.
“I wanted badly to go to the finals, and of course I want to go all the way,” Sabalenka said. The Belarusian has held the No. 1 ranking for 99 consecutive weeks, but admitted that a poor summer allowed Rybakina to close the gap.
In the other semifinal, Rybakina defeated Coco Gauff 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, setting up a clash between the top two players in women’s tennis. Rybakina also defeated Sabalenka in the Australian Open final earlier this season, adding another layer to Saturday’s showdown.
Against Pegula, Sabalenka produced what her opponent described as one of her best performances of the year. She hit 29 winners compared with Pegula’s 12 and dominated on her opponent’s second serve, winning 14 of 19 points.
Pegula managed to stay level with Sabalenka for much of the opening set, reaching 4-4 after 25 minutes. But Sabalenka found another gear late in the set, breaking through at 6-5 before taking control in the second.
Sabalenka has now won 19 consecutive matches at the US Open since losing to Gauff in the 2023 final. With Rybakina standing between her and a third straight title, Sabalenka will have the opportunity to turn a disappointing summer and the loss of her No. 1 ranking into a memorable finish in New York.
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