US Open 2026 — Sabalenka reaches fourth consecutive final, beats Pegula in straight sets

Aryna Sabalenka will head into the final bristling with confidence after producing her best performance of the tournament to snuff out Jessica Pegula’s dream of a first ever Grand Slam title. | Photo Credit: AP

Top seed Aryna Sabalenka stormed past Jessica Pegula in straight sets on Thursday to reach the US Open final for fourth straight year and keep her bid for a rare three-peat on track.

The Belarusian — who will surrender her world No. 1 ranking to Elena Rybakina even if she earns the title — was simply unstoppable in a 7-5, 6-2 victory on Arthur Ashe Stadium, where she beat Pegula en route to US Open victories in 2024 and 2025.

Sabalenka, bidding to join Chris Evert and Serena Williams as the only women to win three straight US Open titles, struck 29 winners, including seven aces, pounding third-seeded Pegula remorselessly with her powerful groundstrokes.

She will take on the winner of the later semifinal between second-seeded Rybakina and fourth-seeded Coco Gauff in Saturday’s title match.

On the evidence of her semifinal win, Sabalenka will head into the final bristling with confidence after producing her best performance of the tournament to snuff out Pegula’s dream of a first ever Grand Slam title.

“I’m super happy I was able to play such tennis,” said Sabalenka, who sent down seven aces and 29 winners. “I was so desperate to win. I wanted it so badly.”

Both Sabalenka and Gauff served superbly in a tense first set that came down to the final game.

Sabalenka’s frustration at her inability to make any headway against Pegula’s serve showed with shrugs and a bounced racquet, but she maintained her focus and was rewarded as Pegula, feeling the pressure to stay in the set as she served down 6-5, fell behind 0-40.

The American saved one set point but couldn’t salvage the next as Sabalenka seized control of the point with a fierce service return and took the set when Pegula hit a forehand into the net.

Sabalenka kept rolling in the second set, attacking Pegula’s suspect second serve and seizing a break for a 3-1 lead when she lasered a forehand into the corner.

She sealed the victory with another break, unleashing another thunderous forehand on match point.

It was more Grand Slam disappointment for Pegula, who fell to Sabalenka in the 2024 final — her only major final to date — and in the semifinals last year.

Sabalenka, 28, has had a slow summer since winning back to back titles at Indian Wells and Miami in March, opening the door to Rybakina to end her reign atop the rankings that began in October 2024.