Sabalenka Powers Past Pegula Into US Open Title Match

Aryna Sabalenka
Aryna Sabalenka (photo: Jürgen Hasenkopf)

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON, September 11, 2026 (by Michael Dickens)

As the women’s semifinals arrived at the US Open Thursday evening on Arthur Ashe Stadium, it marked just the second time in the Open Era (since 1968) that all four of the top seeds – No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, No. 2 Elena Rybakina, No. 3 Jessica Pegula and No. 4 Coco Gauff – had made it to the last-four stage.

The first time it happened was in 1975. The top four seeds then – No. 1 Chris Evert, No. 2 Virginia Wade, No. 3 Martina Navratilova and No. 4 Evonne Goolagong – are all enshrined in the International Tennis Hall of Fame. That’s fine company.

The most recent instance came 16 years ago at Wimbledon in 2009 and included: No. 1 Dinara Safina, No. 2 Serena Williams, No. 3 Venus Williams and No. 4 Elena Dementieva.

While all four of this year’s top seeds have dealt with various highs and lows during this New York City fortnight, they’ve maintained their composure and resilience. Each of them arrived on court with plenty to fight for, especially with a berth in Saturday afternoon’s final up for grabs.

In the first semifinal, two-time defending champion Sabalenka from Belarus, who lost her World No. 1 ranking to Rybakina on Thursday, still had an opportunity to continue her pursuit of a third-consecutive US Open title, something that only Evert and Serena Williams have achieved. To get to the championship match, though, she would have to beat No. 1 American Pegula, who was appearing in her third-straight US Open semifinal. 

While Pegula had won two of their past three meetings, Sabalenka was two-for-two at Flushing Meadows, winning the 2024 final and last year’s semifinal. As it happened, Sabalenka gave an incredible performance – a powerful statement – from first ball to last, filled full of power and focus, and beat Pegula, 7-5, 6-2, in one hour and 20 minutes for her 19th-straight victory in New York City and 10th career win over Pegula. The triumph advanced Sabalenka into her ninth Grand Slam final. Although Sabalenka has won four career major titles, she’s been shutout during the 2026 season.

Sabalenka hit 29 winners – including seven aces – and broke Pegula’s serve three times in eight tries, including twice in the second set with a variety of blistering groundstroke returns that were struck from both wings. She saved the only break point she faced, which came in the first set, and outpointed Pegula 65-54. Pegula countered with 12 winners but made 14 unforced errors. The victory advanced Sabalenka into her fourth-straight US Open final, tying the record set by Serena Williams from 2011-14.

“I’m super happy I was able to pull out such tennis,” Sabalenka said during her on-court interview. “The last match I played against Jessica it was almost impossible for me to get the win.” Then, addressing the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd, which filled the cavernous arena, she added:  “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.”

During her post-match news conference, Pegula shared high praise for Sabalenka. “I think that’s definitely … probably the best match she’s played this year,” she said. “I thought her level was insanely high. I did my best. I thought I didn’t play bad. I think I’ve actually played worse against her before, but I think that level was probably the highest I’ve seen from her.”

Meanwhile, in the second semifinal, 2023 US Open champion Gauff and Rybakina from Kazakhstan, the new No. 1, had only played twice before Thursday night, splitting their two meetings. Despite Rybakina’s concern with a left Achilles injury coming into the year’s final major, she’s performed brilliantly under pressure. The American No. 2 Gauff has also handled the pressure of playing in her home major well.

However, as it happened, Rybakina handled the pressure moments better than Gauff and came away with a comeback 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory, completed in two hours and nine minutes for her 48th victory of the season. It advanced the Russian-born Kazakh into her fourth major final and first one at the US Open. It was Rybakina’s 19th-straight victory against an American opponent.

Rybakina, who conquered Gauff and a pro-American crowd, put away the victory on her first match-point opportunity after breaking her opponent in her final two service games. She broke Gauff’s serve four times in six tries overall and outpointed her 88-82 in back of hitting 22 winners. Now, she will go after her second Grand Slam title of the season after winning the Australian Open last January.

The semifinal winners, the soon-to-be-former No. 1 Sabalenka and the soon-to-be-new No. 1 Rybakina, will meet for the championship on Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m. (9 p.m. London, 10 p.m. Central Europe). Although Sabalenka leads their career head-to-head 10-7, Rybakina won their last meeting in the Melbourne final.

“It’s an important match,” Rybakina said during her post-match news conference. “I feel like it doesn’t matter who is on the other side. You just want to win and do your best.”

 

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Historic significance of Shelton-Tiafoe semifinal is tribute to Ashe’s legacy

When Americans Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe take to Arthur Ashe Stadium Friday evening for their US Open semifinal at 7 p.m. (New York Time), history will be made.

The pairing of two of the top U.S. players will mark the first time that two Black American men have played in a Grand Slam semifinal in the Open Era (since 1968). The winner will become the first Black American man to reach a US Open final since Arthur Ashe in 1972 – and the first Black American man to reach a major final since MaliVai Washington at the Wimbledon Championships in 1996.

 

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That history is being made at the US Open – a monumental milestone – is not lost. Shelton, 23, and Tiafoe, 28, are playing on the largest stadium court in professional tennis, named after Ashe, the American trail blazer who is the only American Black man to win the US Open. He did it in 1968 at age 25, long before Shelton and Tiafoe were born, and died in 1993 at age 49 from AIDS-related pneumonia.

Ashe won three major titles (US Open 1968, Australian Open 1970, Wimbledon 1975). Both Shelton and Tiafoe are in search of their first Grand Slam crown.

“Honestly, especially on the men’s side, I never thought I would see an all-Black semifinal between the guys,” Coco Gauff said Thursday during her post-match news conference, after reaching the women’s singles semifinal. “I just never thought that would be able to happen.

“I have respect for both Ben and Frances,” Gauff added. “I’m rooting for them and hopefully whoever wins can bring it home.”

Shelton and Tiafoe previously met in a historic 2023 US Open quarterfinal, which was the first major quarterfinal between two Black men in the Open Era. Now, Shelton and Tiafoe are raising the stakes even higher.

William C. Rhoden, a former New York Times sports columnist who now writes for Andscape, knew Ashe and called him a mentor. In a column published on the Andscape website Thursday, he wrote of Ashe:

“His goal was to bring diversity, equity and inclusion to tennis, and he would be immensely proud of Tiafoe, Shelton and all the African Americans competing at the US Open. He would be disappointed that it’s taken nearly 60 years for another Black man to win a US Open championship.

“This is a lot to put on the shoulders of Tiafoe and Shelton, but they should know and appreciate Ashe, because they are part of the history he represents.

“And they are now in a position to create their own.”

Rhoden concludes: “Tiafoe and Shelton are two of the brightest young lights in tennis, and that will not change, win or lose. They are beloved and the perfect icons for their sport – because in tennis, every player is someone’s hero.”

 

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Zverev has found his confidence at the right time

Although World No. 2 and top seed Alexander Zverev has spent a lot of time on court inside Arthur Ashe Stadium winning his first five matches – some of them going well past midnight – and a couple of them going the distance and lasting more than four hours, he has regained his confidence at a most opportune time.

After reaching the Wimbledon final, Zverev began the North American hard-court swing with a pair of early losses in Montreal and Cincinnati. He took nothing for granted when he arrived at the US Open. After a straight-set quarterfinal win over 70th-ranked Botic van de Zandschulp of the Netherlands on Wednesday evening, it meant that Zverev had reached the semifinals in each of this year’s four majors. It’s a feat that only eight other players have achieved. 

 

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“I think the more often that you get to that stage, the more normal it becomes, which is something that you should never take for granted. I think it’s a very special feeling when it becomes normality,” Zverev said during his news conference Wednesday evening, after achieving his ATP-leading 51st victory this season.

“I don’t take it for granted at all. I know it can change in a heartbeat in tennis. I think confidence is something that is incredibly important but also can go away quite quickly, and I found that out after Wimbledon where I didn’t play well throughout the two tournaments on the hard courts, and then I found it again here.”

On Friday afternoon at 3 p.m. New York Time (8 p.m. London, 9 p.m. Central Europe), Zverev will face 50th-ranked Karen Khachanov of Russia for a berth in Sunday’s title match.

Around the US Open

• The men’s doubles semifinals took place Thursday afternoon and evening on Louis Armstrong Stadium.

First, No. 6 seeds Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz of Germany, who were 2024 US Open finalists, defeated three-time (2021-23) US Open champions Rajeev Ram on the United States and Joe Salisbury of Great Britain, who were unseeded, 6-3, 6-4, in one hour and 19 minutes.

The German duo, combined for six aces and hit 41 winners overall. They saved both break points they faced and converted two of five break points. Krawietz and Puetz outpointed Ram and Salisbury 65-49.

Afterward, the 42-year-old Ram, who likely played his last match before retiring, was feted in an on-court ceremony by USTA CEO Craig Tiley, who was his collegiate coach at the University of Illinois in 2003 before Ram turned pro, and US Open tournament director Eric Butorac.

Ram, who made 26 appearances at the US Open, finished his career having won four Grand Slam men’s doubles titles and two Grand Slam mixed doubles titles, too. On the ATP Tour, he won a total of 32 doubles  and more than 500 career doubles matches.

Later, co-World No. 1s and this year’s top seeds Harri Heliovaara of Finland and Henry Patten of Great Britain were upset by No. 5 seeds Christian Harrison of the United States and Neal Skupski of Great Britain, 7-6 (4), 6-2, in one hour and 23 minutes. 

Harrison and Skupski dropped just five points on their first serve, winning 86 percent (31 of 36) of their first-serve points. They hit 41 winners and outpointed Heliovaara and Patten 73-48.

The men’s doubles final between Krawietz and Puetz versus Harrison and Skupski is Saturday at noon  (5 p.m. London, 6 p.m. Central Europe) on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

• The women’s doubles final takes place Friday at noon New York Time (5 p.m. London, 6 p.m. Central Europe) on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

No. 1 seeds Katerina Siniakova of Czechia and Taylor Townsend of the United States will go after a career Grand Slam when they take on American wild cards Ashlyn Krueger and Robin Montgomery. 

The World No. 1. Siniakova has already achieved a career slam with former partner Barbora Krejcikova of Czechia and lacks only winning the US Open with World No. 2 Townsend to earn her second career Grand Slam. She and Townsend have won three majors together, Wimbledon in 2024, the Australian Open in 2025 and Roland-Garros earlier this season.

The US Open final is the first major final for both Krueger and Montgomery.

• As the junior boys’ and girls’ singles and doubles competitions near their completion this weekend, one big quarterfinal match took place Thursday afternoon on Court 12 as World No. 1 and top seed Guto Miguel of Brazil defeated Wimbledon champion and No. 8 seed Jordan Lee of the United States, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (13-11), in two hours and 47 minutes to advance to the semifinal round.

Thursday’s US Open results

Friday’s US Open order of play

By the numbers

This is Aryna Sabalenka‘s sixth consecutive US Open semifinal appearance, and her 15th career Grand Slam semifinal overall.

“Quotable …”

“I watched Shelton-Alcaraz until 3:30 a.m. last night. I did not go to bed. I was up late. I was watching TV because I was sleeping in until 1 p.m. anyways.”

“Credit to Ben, he played an unbelievable match. I think it’s going to be a fun semifinal between two Americans.”

– Top seeds Alexander Zverev of Germany, during his on-court interview Thursday after defeating Botic van de Zandschulp of the Netherlands, on how he has been spending some of his free time off court in New York City.

 

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