The Stakes at Flushing Meadows: Sabalenka Chases Three-Peat History

Aryna Sabalenka walked into the grounds knowing she would likely surrender the world No. 1 ranking to Elena Rybakina. But the US Open trophy sits entirely in her sights.

The two-time defending champion delivered an overpowering performance in her semifinal match to prove her hunger for a historic three-peat. According to tournament coverage, a third consecutive title in New York would make her the first player to achieve the feat since Serena Williams accomplished it from 2012-14.

“I wanted badly to go to the finals, and of course I want to go all the way,”

Aryna Sabalenka

Sabalenka tore through Jessica Pegula with a 7-5, 6-2 scoreline on Thursday. She pounded 29 winners compared to Pegula’s 12. That victory pushed her staggering winning streak at Flushing Meadows to 19 consecutive matches, dating back to her loss in the 2023 final against Coco Gauff.

Rybakina Claims No. 1 Ranking After Gauff Battle

Per tournament records, Rybakina needed only to reach the semifinals in New York to unseat Sabalenka, who had held the No. 1 position for 99 consecutive weeks.

The transition at the top stems from a stellar season that featured Rybakina winning the Australian Open in January by defeating Sabalenka in the final, coupled with a summer dip in form for the Belarusian star.

“It’s a lot of work, and yeah, that was one of my goals, but right now not much I could do. I didn’t really perform well in the middle of the season,” Sabalenka said. “Elena took it over and played really well, and she took away No. 1 position.”

Aryna Sabalenka

To reach Saturday’s final, Rybakina had to survive a fierce challenge from Coco Gauff. Gauff burst out of the gate with four aces in a 38-minute opening set, taking it 6-3. But the tour’s leading ace-server regrouped in front of a celebrity-studded crowd that included former first lady Michelle Obama.

“Took a deep breath, was trying to talk positive with myself and just told myself that I need to fight and try to show good tennis,”

Elena Rybakina

Gauff clawed back from a 4-1 deficit in the second set to level at 4-all, and later broke when Rybakina served for the match at 5-3. Ultimately, Rybakina slammed the door in the third set to complete a 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 comeback.

“I thought it was a good match, and it honestly came down to a couple of service games of mine in both sets and I didn’t quite hold,” Gauff said. “I mean, I have to look back and see what happened, but she does a great job of just being there every point and putting a lot of pressure on you on service game and return game.”

Coco Gauff

Semifinal Breakdown: Sabalenka’s Dominance Meets Pegula’s Resistance

Before Rybakina and Gauff took the court, Sabalenka put on a masterclass against Jessica Pegula. The first set was a tense, 25-minute battle that reached 4-all before Sabalenka grew visibly frustrated, waving at her coaches’ box after missed opportunities.

Pegula had converted 18 of 20 points on her first serve early on. But with Sabalenka leading 6-5, the momentum flipped violently. Sabalenka struck a backhand winner, forced a long forehand from Pegula, and added another winner to secure a set point she quickly converted.

In the second set, Sabalenka turned up the pressure further. She pounced on a 77 m.p.h. second serve from Pegula, hammering a blistering 90 m.p.h. forehand return that left her opponent stranded. That broke open a 3-1 lead, and Sabalenka coasted home.

“I think that’s definitely — you can ask her — probably the best match she’s played this year,” Pegula said. “I mean, I thought her level was insanely high.”

Jessica Pegula

Reflecting on her performance, Sabalenka offered a concise assessment to reporters: No complaints, adding, I’m just super happy that I was able to pull out such tennis.

Saturday’s final features the top two players in the WTA rankings and rounds out a historic tournament phase. According to historical records, the top four seeds reached the US Open women’s semifinals for the first time since 1975, setting the stage for a clash between multi-time major champions.