Aryna Sabalenka news
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Sabalenka beat Pegula 7-5, 6-2 to reach the 2026 US Open final against Rybakina.
She chases a third straight US Open title but will lose No. 1.
Background
Sabalenka has won 19 straight matches at the U.S. Open since losing to Coco Gauff in the 2023 final, and this is the fourth straight year she has reached the final in Flushing Meadows. She is going for her third consecutive US Open title and fifth Grand Slam singles title overall. Rybakina, who beat Gauff in the other semifinal, will replace Sabalenka at No. 1 in the WTA rankings on Monday after Sabalenka held the top spot for 99 consecutive weeks. The top four seeds made the women's semifinals for the first time since 1975.
How it unfolded
- 2026Rybakina beat Sabalenka in the Australian Open final in Melbourne.
- Mar 26, 2026Sabalenka beat Rybakina in the Miami Open quarterfinal in Miami Gardens, Florida.
- Sep 8, 2026Sabalenka beat Linda Noskova 7-6 (1), 3-6, 7-6 (10-7) in the U.S. Open quarterfinal in New York.
- Sep 10, 2026Sabalenka beat Jessica Pegula 7-5, 6-2 in the U.S. Open semifinal at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, Queens, New York.
- Sep 10, 2026Elena Rybakina beat Coco Gauff 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the other U.S. Open semifinal in New York.
- Sep 11, 2026Sabalenka and Rybakina advanced to the U.S. Open women's final; Rybakina will replace Sabalenka at No. 1 in the WTA rankings on Monday after Sabalenka held the top spot for 99 consecutive weeks.
- Sep 12, 2026Sabalenka and Rybakina face off in the 2026 US Open women's singles final; Sabalenka seeks her third consecutive US Open title and fifth Grand Slam singles title overall.
Who’s saying what
- Player
- Sabalenka said she feels confident and mentally and physically really strong right now, and that she loves New York and the energy of the city, which drives and inspires her.
- Player
- Sabalenka said she was so desperate for the win and wanted it badly, and said this week she would be fine ceding No. 1 after she held it.
- Opponent
- Jessica Pegula put up a good fight in the 2024 final and last year's semifinals, but she couldn't keep it close the way Sabalenka played Thursday – and wasn't sure anybody else would've, either.