Sabalenka pulls through late against Pegula to make the US Open final
Written by Black Hot Fire Network on September 5, 2025
Aryna Sabalenka is back in the US Open final after outlasting Jessica Pegula 4–6, 6–3, 6–4 in Thursday night’s semifinal.
The defending champion, seeded No. 1, is now one win away from becoming the first woman since Serena Williams (2012–14) to win consecutive titles at Flushing Meadows. She will face either No. 8 Amanda Anisimova or No. 23 Naomi Osaka for the trophy on Saturday.
Pegula made Sabalenka work in ways she hadn’t a year ago, when their meeting ended in straight sets in the final. On Thursday, Sabalenka responded by raising her level, striking 42 winners to Pegula’s 25 and winning 16 of 21 points at the net. Her serve, at times shaky earlier in the summer, produced 11 aces and gave her the cushion to withstand Pegula’s pressure.
The victory sends Sabalenka into her sixth Grand Slam final — and fourth in her past five majors. Since lifting the trophy in New York in 2024, she has been runner-up at both the Australian Open (to Madison Keys) and Roland Garros (to Coco Gauff) and reached the Wimbledon semifinals.
