For the third consecutive year, Jessica Pegula’s US Open run has ended at the hands of Aryna Sabalenka.
Sabalenka defeated the 32-year-old American 7-5, 6-2 in Thursday’s semifinals, following her victory over Pegula in the 2024 final and again in last year’s semifinals.
Pegula continues to give herself chances to capture an elusive first Grand Slam title. The problem is that Sabalenka keeps standing in her way.
“I think that’s definitely — you can ask her — probably the best match she’s played this year,” Pegula said. “I mean, I thought her level was insanely high.”
The match was competitive early, but once Sabalenka found her range, Pegula felt there was little she could do.
“I don’t know who pissed her off today,” Pegula joked. “Hopefully it wasn’t me totally, but might have been. I don’t know. She played insane. She played a super-high level.”
Sabalenka’s dominance at the hard-court majors has become remarkable. Thursday’s victory improved her record to 51-3 across the Australian Open and US Open over her current run of eight consecutive hard-court majors, reaching at least the final in every one.
Now she is one victory away from a fifth Grand Slam title — and her first major trophy of 2026.
Pegula walked away disappointed but hardly dissatisfied with her own performance.
“Honestly, I don’t really know if there was much I could do today,” she said. “I don’t think she missed a backhand the entire match.”
For Pegula, that may have been the most frustrating part. She felt she played well — perhaps better than in some previous meetings with Sabalenka — and it still wasn’t close to enough.
“I did my best. I thought I didn’t play bad,” Pegula said. “But I think that level was probably the highest I’ve seen from her.”
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