US Open 2025: Aryna Sabalenka Scrapes Past Jessica Pegula To Seal Final Spot

Aryna Sabalenka is through to her third successive US Open final, after coming from behind to deny home favourite Jessica Pegula at Flushing Meadows.

The world number one recovered from losing the opening set to prevail 4-6 6-3 6-4 on Arthur Ashe Stadium, setting up a showdown with either Amanda Anisimova or Naomi Osaka in Saturday's showpiece.

Both players arrived in this semi-final having not dropped a set, while Sabalenka had the advantage of an extra day off following the withdrawal of quarter-final opponent Marketa Vondrousova through injury.

The top seed struck the opening blow when she broke in game six for a 4-2 lead. However, Pegula rallied to reel off the next four - winning 15 of the last 18 points along the way - to move halfway towards victory.

Pegula was also on course to avenge her straight-sets defeat when the pair locked horns in last year's final.

Sabalenka, who left the court following the opening set, began the second with a vengeance, breaking at the first opportunity and racing into a 3-0 lead, before staying solid on serve to level the semi-final.

The three-time major winner then broke again in the first game of the decider to take a giant stride towards the final.

Pegula reeled off 16 unanswered points on serve to stay with her opponent, but could not convert any of the four opportunities to break back that she forced.

Sabalenka saw a couple of match points go begging at 5-4 up, but it was third time lucky as a thumping forehand got her over the line in just over two hours.

Data Debrief: Sabalenka matches Martina, Monica and Serena

The only player on the WTA Tour with a positive record, Sabalenka now holds a 59.1% win rate after losing the opening set in women's singles matches at Grand Slams since 2020.

Since 1988, she is only the third woman, after Steffi Graf and Martina Hingis, to reach the final at both the Australian and US Open in three consecutive years.

The top seed also joins Graf and Hingis – along with Martina Navratilova, Monica Seles and Serena Williams – as the only WTA number ones to reach three or more major singles final in a single season.

With a win rate of 69.2% against top 10 opponents (9-4), Sabalenka now only trails Steffi Graf (76.5%) among players to have played a minimum of 10 such matches since 1990.