US Open 2025: Aryna Sabalenka Reaches Finals After Sinking Jessica Pegula In Three-Set Thriller

Last Updated:September 05, 2025, 07:29 IST

Aryna Sabalenka battled past Jessica Pegula 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 to reach her third straight US Open final, aiming to defend her title against Naomi Osaka or Amanda Anisimova.

Aryna Sabalenka at the US Open (AP)

Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka kept her dream of a US Open title defence alive on Thursday night, battling back from a set down to defeat American fourth seed Jessica Pegula in a gripping semi-final.

The world No. 1 from Belarus overcame early struggles to post a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory in just over two hours, sealing her place in a third consecutive US Open final.

Sabalenka, 27, will now face either Naomi Osaka of Japan or American Amanda Anisimova in Saturday’s championship match.

If she triumphs, she will become the first woman to defend the US Open crown since Serena Williams completed her three-peat in 2014.

A Three-Set Slogfest

Backed by a vocal New York crowd, Pegula drew first blood in a fiercely contested opening set. Undeterred, Sabalenka responded with trademark power in the second set, holding firm under pressure to close it out and restore parity.

The final set produced the most dramatic tennis of the night.

Sabalenka broke in the opening game to take control, but Pegula refused to go away quietly.

The American carved out three break points across two separate service games, yet each time Sabalenka stood tall — saving them with fearless serving and heavy forehands.

At 4-2, Pegula had another golden chance when Sabalenka double-faulted to hand her break point, but again the world No. 1 dug deep to escape.

Sabalenka eventually sealed the victory with a commanding service hold, raising her arms in triumph as the Ashe crowd applauded both players’ resilience.

“It was a really tough match — she played incredible tennis as always and I had to work really hard to get this win," a relieved Sabalenka said afterwards.

“Just super happy to be back in the final and hopefully I can go all the way again," added Sabalenka, who held her nerve to wrap up the victory.

(with AFP inputs)

Siddarth Sriram

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term...Read More

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term...

Read More

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News sports US Open 2025: Aryna Sabalenka Reaches Finals After Sinking Jessica Pegula In Three-Set Thriller

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