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Sabalenka news
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Sabalenka beat Jessica Pegula 7-5, 6-2 to reach the US Open final against Elena Rybakina.
A win means a third straight US Open title, but she loses No. 1.
Background
Sabalenka has won 19 straight matches at the US Open since losing to Coco Gauff in the 2023 final, and she is through to her fourth consecutive US Open final. She has had a difficult 2026 season by her own standards, and after the tournament she will surrender the No. 1 ranking for the first time in 99 weeks. Rybakina, who beat Gauff in the other semifinal, will become world No. 1 when the new rankings come out.
How it unfolded
- Sep 10, 2026Sabalenka defeated Jessica Pegula 7-5, 6-2 in the US Open semifinals, an 80-minute win that stretched her US Open winning streak to 19.
- Sep 10, 2026In the second semifinal, Elena Rybakina came from a set down to beat Coco Gauff 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 and reach her first career US Open final.
- Sep 11, 2026Sabalenka is set to face Rybakina in the US Open final on Saturday; a win would be her fifth career major title and complete the first US Open three-peat since Serena Williams in 2012-2014.
Who’s saying what
- Player
- Sabalenka said she was "super happy" to pull out such tennis and "so desperate" for the win, reminding herself "this is my home."
- Expert
- Hall of Famer and commentator Mary Carillo said Sabalenka was "outplaying Pegula from everywhere on the court" and called it "bruising, violent tennis."
- Player
- Pegula said she wasn't sure anybody else would have kept it close the way Sabalenka played Thursday.