US Open WTA Semi-Finals | Aryna Sabalenka surges towards three-peat in New York after straight sets win over Jessica Pegula

Aryna Sabalenka will be in the final of the 2026 US Open this weekend and will aim to complete a three-peat having won the title in 2024, 2025 and potentially now in 2026. She saw off Jessica Pegula in the semi-finals in a repeat of the first final back two years ago.

Sabalenka will now face of against either Coco Gauff or Elena Rybakina who face off shortly in the second semi-final. Perhaps the game that people expected to go three sets, but despite not playing badly Pegula in the end was overwhelmed.

Pegula was given the advantage with the US Open prediction system and whether that was skewed towards Pegula being American remains to be seen. But while she lost, it wasn't comprehensive in that Sabalenka managed to shade the key moments.

Sabalenka looked sharp from the outset. Pegula was striking the ball superbly to begin the tie with excellent forehand winners. But Sabalenka responded with a 117mph ace before holding to 30 to make it 3-2. Pegula held to love to snap that, but as was the case also in the second set it was the key moments.

Sabalenka pinned four aces with an average of 105mph and this first serve proved to be the real catalyst as Sabalenka held again for 4-3 with Pegula dealing with her power but not on the serve.

There was not a single double fault up to and including 4-4 as Pegula continued to hit back every time against Sabalenka's resolve. Sabalenka outgunned Pegula at times including a 117mph serve but she gave a chance to Pegula who didn't take it. This proved problematic later in the piece. Pegula held for 5-5 with Sabalenka overhitting many of her ground strokes before chucking the racquet to the ground as Pegula confirmed the hold. The body language of Sabalenka leaving very little to the imagination.

The more Sabalenka got annoyed, the more the home crowd sensed blood. But it was Pegula who was left frustrated as she drops an easy shot into the net and Sabalenka held for 6-5. Pegula aimed to take the set to a tie-break. But she wilted. Pegula went 30-0 down with a loose forehand wide and she had three set points. First one saved by Pegula. The second saw Sabalenka throw Pegula onto the run and then she bundled it into the net and she won the opener 7-5.

Sabalenka though continued to edge the clutch moments. Pegula drew her in to the net, but the former got it all wrong and Sabalenka held for 1-0. 18 winners and 16 unforced errors for Sabalenka as she continued to produce pure cinema whether with reactions or the actual quality. She was going for the big shots while Pegula remained fairly passive. She held to 30 for 2-1 and while Pegula saved two break points, Sabalenka managed to break. A forehand winner down the line sealed a third break point. She managed to pin her from tramline to tramline and while Sabalenka missed the chance for another, she got a fourth and Pegula couldn't find her first serve. She went 3-1 up.

Pegula was on top in the first set over the longer points but Sabalenka started to overwhelm her. Sabalenka was easy to a cross forehand at 4-2 and the former managed to outfox her and held for 5-2.

Pegula hit an eighth unforced error of the second set with a loose forehand. Pegula went narrowly long after a poor second serve and Sabalenka had match point. One she took in ruthless fashion.