Tophavoritin Aryna Sabalenka has reached the endgame of the US Open for the third time and may hope for the title defense. It initially looked bad against Jessica Pegula.
After a disappointing first set, the number one of the tennis world in the semi-finals, the new edition of the previous year’s final against the American, turned up and prevailed 4: 6, 6: 3, 6: 4. In the end, she was successful with her power. “I’m just super happy to be back in the final. It was really a heavy match. I had to work hard for this victory”said Sabalenka.
After the final won in two short sentences in 2024 against Pegula, the Belarusin is now allowed on her second US Open title and her fourth Grand Slam-TriPHP hope. In the final, the top seeds will meet the American Amanda Anisimova, the Naomi Osaka from Japan 6: 7, 7: 6 and 6: 3 on Saturday (10 p.m. CEST).
“I’ll go out and fight for every point as if it were the last in my life”she announced.
Sabalenka is still waiting for one in 2025 Grand Slam triumph
Sabalenka can crown her season after two final defeats at the Australian Open and the French Open and the semi-final in Wimbledon with a Grand Slam Trophy. In 2023 she missed the successful completion in New York against Coco Gauff (USA).
Against Pegula (31) the first set ended after an initial leadership in frustration. First, the top favorite (27) was 4: 2 in front. But the Belarusin let her opponent come back into play with avoidable mistakes. Pegula heated up the audience with her catch -up and secured sentence one.
Tim Brockmeier, Sportschau, 05.09.2025 07:53 a.m.
Then Sabalenka increased her level. With quick breaks, the favorite started in sentences two and three. As she controlled the second round, she had to fight several times in the third to hold her leadership. With twice as many direct point gains (42), Sabalenka prevented that Pegula (21) could reciprocate for 2024.
Unusual days off for Sabalenka
Sabalenka had not contested a match since Sunday. In the quarter-finals, the 27-year-old continued without a fight, and the Czech Marketa Vondrousova had withdrawn at short notice due to a knee injury.