Last year’s finalist Aryna Sabalenka and 30-year-old American Jessica Pegula have booked their spot in the final of the 2024 US Open after contrasting semi-final wins on Thursday night in New York.
Two-time Australian Open champion Sabalenka came up with a 6-3, 7-6 (2) win over 13th seed Emma Navarro in a 90-minute match at the Arthur Ashe Arena.
The hard-hitting Belarusian struck 34 winners that eclipsed the 13 Navarro had to offer, as she secured a second consecutive spot in the final. Last year, Sabalenka lost in the summit clash to Coco Gauff.
Sabalenka has been in solid form at the US Open, dropping only one set – in the third round against Ekaterina Alexandrova, en route to the final.
Pegula has also been in good touch and dropped a set in the US Open this year only once, in her semi-final win over Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic.
Pegula had to work hard in her semi-final, eventually registering a 1-6, 6-4, 6-2 win in a match that lasted two hours and 12 minutes.
The sixth seed hit only 17 winners compared to Muchova’s 34, but the 22 unforced errors as against the Czech’s 40 made a difference.
With the win, Pegula has booked her spot in the women’s singles final of a Grand Slam for the first time. She had beaten former winner and world No 1 Iga Swiatek in a 6-2, 6-4 win before the win over Muchova.
The final on Saturday will be a repeat of the Cincinnati Masters final from just a few weeks ago, where Sabalenka beat Pegula 6-3, 7-5. Overall, Sabalenka has a 5-2 head-to-head record against the American.
