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Sabalenka Edges Pegula in Tens US Open Semi-Final

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Aryna Sabalenka took a tight first set 7-5 against Jessica Pegula in their US Open women's semi-final, part of a line-up featuring the top four seeds.

Aryna Sabalenka took a tightly contested opening set 7-5 against Jessica Pegula in their US Open women's semi-final and moved ahead early in the second, leading 2-1, as the two-time defending champion pushed to reach another final in New York.

Sabalenka, from Belarus, is chasing her first major title of the year. The American third seed Pegula has run into the same opponent at the sharpest end of this tournament before, losing to Sabalenka in the semi-finals last year and in the 2024 final. On current form she was again second best in the clutch moments that decide Grand Slam matches.

The numbers told the story of a high-quality but uneven performance from the top seed. By early in the second set Sabalenka had struck 18 winners against 16 unforced errors, mixing brilliant shot-making with loose errors. A sensational backhand down the line stood out, but so did a lazy drop shot that flopped into the net, a slice sent long and a third double fault of the match that drew a theatrical shrug.

Against that, Pegula played within herself. She took too few risks, and her caution left the often intimidating Arthur Ashe crowd unusually subdued. A rare drop shot from the American drew Sabalenka forward, but Pegula mistimed the passing shot that followed - the kind of small margin that separates the two players at this level.

'Fear in her eyes'

Sabalenka's intensity was central to the first set. Annabel Croft, the former British number one working on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, said Sabalenka was "playing like a woman who is possessed" and described "fear and terror" in her expressions through the closing stages of the set. According to Croft, the more possessed Sabalenka looked, the harder she hit the ball - and that energy appeared to unsettle Pegula.

Despite the pressure, Pegula continued to hold serve into the second set, staying in touch as Sabalenka pressed for a decisive break. The top seed also held her own service games, including a hold to 30, keeping her nose in front.

Top four seeds in the last four

The match forms part of a semi-final line-up made up of the tournament's top four seeds. The winner will face either Coco Gauff, the 2023 champion, or second seed Elena Rybakina in the final. Rybakina is set for a landmark of her own regardless of the semi-final result: she will become world number one for the first time on Monday.

The occasion carries added weight in New York. The day after the semi-finals marks the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and a run to the final by an American player would resonate with local fans.

For now, though, it was Sabalenka setting the tone, banking the first set and edging ahead in the second as she looked to end her wait for a title in 2025.

US Open semi-finals, Aryna Sabalenka, Jessica Pegula, women's tennis, Arthur Ashe Stadium, Elena Rybakina, Coco Gauff, US Open 2025

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