Aryna Sabalenka ended American hopes of an all-USA flourish at the US Open, overpowering US No 1 Jessica Pegula 7-5, 6-2 in a ruthless straight-sets victory.
For Pegula, another meeting with the defending champion on Arthur Ashe Stadium brought familiar frustration, after she was beaten by the two-time winner in the 2024 final across two tense sets.
Yet Pegula was not searching for excuses afterward. In her view, there was little she could have changed against an opponent operating at what she described as an “insanely high” level.
“I’m honestly not that upset, because I don’t really think there was much I could have done today,” Pegula said in her post-match press conference. “I mean, we joked with her team. We’re, like, ‘Do you like us? Like, we’re good people.’
“‘We’re pretty nice to you guys. Do you think that maybe, like, one day she could be maybe off a little bit, so I could just, like, get a chance?’”
“That was pretty much our attitude after the match, because like I said, she played an insanely high level, I think probably one of her better matches this year, for sure.”
Aryna Sabalenka delivered a clinical performance to defeat Jessica Pegula and secure her place in the US Open final
Jessica Pegula had been among the leading contenders hoping to take advantage of Sabalenka’s uneven summer
But the former world No1 was locked in and ruthlessly focused on Thursday evening
‘Of course, I tried to stick around to see if the level would go off, but it seemed like it just got better as the match went on.’
To begin with, there was little to separate them, with the match taking a handful of games for both players to find their rhythm. Points were short, as were the games, until Sabalenka made her first full-throated attack on Pegula’s serve with a stinging forehand passing shot.
But it was Pegula who made the first meaningful challenge in the ninth game, with Pegula soaking up pressure on the baseline. Threatened from return, Sabalenka was left clutching her head as she made her first double fault of the match to bring up break point, and only by knuckling down was she able to pull off her hold with a clenched fist.
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Sabalenka was more expressive on Thursday night than she had been against Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova, flailing her arms or motioning to her box in disgust at an overcooked forehand or fumble at the net.
But she was more bombastic too, hunting winners and finding them – in the first set, 17 to Pegula’s timid six.
It was an all-out, risky strategy. Pegula was content to cut the composed figure, strong on serve in a way that she struggled to be against her compatriot Emma Navarro in the quarter-finals, but she lacked Sabalenka’s lethal thrust.
At 6-5, the high-quality exchanges between the rivals had all the makings of a tense tiebreak. But Sabalenka wasn’t having that. One deadlock-break was all she needed, and she took it, starting with a whip-crack backhand return winner.
A string of excellent forehands helped her climb to love-30, and she feasted on a tepid second serve to send back a rocket for break, and set point. She didn’t take the first one, but she needed no more than two.
Sabalenka continued to hit winners in the second set, constantly heaping pressure on Pegula to be note-perfect.
Michelle Obama was one of the celebrities watching from the stands on a star-studded night
Ever the perfectionist, Sabalenka often looked exasperated with her shot-making – but she had no need for real concern
The American was able to withstand the first onslaught of break points Sabalenka went looking for in the third game, and the Belarusian’s desperation might have told when she fumbled her final volley into the net with her third chance, but it wasn’t enough. With a punchy forehand winner, Sabalenka crunched back Pegula’s second serve, and continued her march towards Saturday’s final.
The 28-year-old continued to demand perfection. Netting her opening return on serve, 4-2 up in the second set, her scream was bloodcurdling. After winning points, she continued to build herself up, clenching her fist as if she was barely hanging on, instead of inching closer to another New York final.
Before the start of the tournament, there had been questions over Sabalenka’s form to retain her title, after a challenging summer had seen her face early exits at the French Open and at Wimbledon, and a number of subdued performances.
Different champions were suggested. Pegula, a remarkably consistent performer, was one of those names. Two weeks later, and Sabalenka is at the very summit of her Grand Slam-winning form heading into a third final, and Pegula is making her way home.
With her pride in making Saturday’s match, there will be relief as well as pride felt by the Belarusian. She had heard those questions, and tried to put them out of mind. Now, she has answered them.
