Sabalenka emulates Serena Williams, storms into fourth successive US Open final

Aryna Sabalenka beat Jessica Pegula 7-5, 6-2 to reach a fourth successive US Open final. The defending champion is now one win away from a New York hat-trick and another slice of history.Aryna Sabalenka stormed into the US Open 2026 final (Reuters Photo)Aryna Sabalenka is once again the last woman standing at Flushing Meadows. The defending champion powered past Jessica Pegula 7-5, 6-2 in the 2026 US Open semi-final to reach her fourth successive final, joining an elite club of players who have dominated New York year after year.Sabalenka’s latest run has echoes of Serena Williams’ remarkable reign at the US Open. Serena reached four consecutive finals from 2011 to 2014, winning three titles, and Sabalenka now has a chance to match another piece of that legacy by completing a hat-trick of championships in New York.The Belarusian overcame an early challenge from Pegula before taking control, striking seven aces and 29 winners in an 80-minute masterclass. More importantly, she has again found a way through the pressure that comes with being the player to beat.One victory now separates Sabalenka from a piece of US Open history. She will take on the winner of the other semifinal between newly-crowned World No. 1 Elena Rybakina and fourth seed Ccco Gauff. A FINAL AFTER DIP IN FORMSabalenka admitted she was desperate to reach the final of the season-ending Grand Slam after a difficult stretch across the clay and grass seasons. The World No. 1, who lost the Australian Open final earlier this year, was beaten in the French Open semi-final before crashing out in the fourth round at Wimbledon. Her hold on the top ranking also slipped away earlier this week, adding another layer of motivation as she arrived at Flushing Meadows determined to make a statement. On Thursday, she did exactly that.“I was so desperate for the win, I wanted it badly,” she said in her typically straightforward manner. There was evident frustration in the way Sabalenka went about her business. After missing an early break-point opportunity, a double fault later in the set saw her frustration boil over and she smashed her racquet onto the court. But she quickly regained her composure, secured the decisive break and closed out the opening set without being dragged into a tie-break.The intensity only increased in the second set against local hope Pegula as Sabalenka raced to a 3-0 lead. From there, there was no looking back. She powered through to the finish line in just 80 minutes.Sabalenka made sure the crowd knew exactly what the victory meant to her.“No complaints. I’m super happy I was able to pull out such tennis. The last match I played against Jessica it was almost impossible for me to get the win. I’m super happy I was able to play such tennis in front of you all. Thank you for the atmosphere. You guys are the best. Your respect to me is priceless. I know you wanted her to win, it’s obvious. But thank you for being so respectful to me. Love you guys,” she said.Aryna Sabalenka after beating Pegula to reach U.S. Open final“No complaints. I’m super happy I was able to pull out such tennis. The last match I played against Jessica it was almost impossible for me to get the win. I’m super happy I was able to play such tennis in front of pic.twitter.com/DcOdRY4M9e— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) September 11, 2026The past few months have not quite lived up to the standards Sabalenka has set for herself. But her run to a fourth successive US Open final has restored the belief.Since winning her first Grand Slam title at the 2023 Australian Open, Sabalenka has finished every season with at least one major crown. She now has one more match to ensure that remarkable streak survives, and to remind the rest of the tour why she remains the player to beat in New York.- EndsPublished By: Akshay RameshPublished On: Sep 11, 2026 06:48 IST