Pegula aiming to thwart Sabalenka three-peat in US Open semis

By the Editorial Team · Friday, September 11, 2026

Aryna Sabalenka will face Jessica Pegula in the US Open women's singles semifinal, aiming for her third consecutive title in a historic top-four-seeded lineup. This match marks the latest chapter in their evolving rivalry and precedes a second semifinal where Elena Rybakina can claim the WTA No. 1 ranking by advancing.

Aryna Sabalenka is seeking to secure her third consecutive US Open women's singles title when she faces Jessica Pegula in a highly anticipated semi-final match Thursday night at Flushing Meadows. Both players, among the tournament's top seeds, are part of a historic semifinal lineup featuring the top four women for the first time since 1975.

Sabalenka, the top seed and reigning champion, will square off against third-seeded Pegula for the third straight year at the US Open. The Belarusian defeated Pegula in last year’s semi-finals and in the 2024 final, but Pegula has made strides in their rivalry, winning two of their three encounters since that semi-final loss. The 32-year-old American intends to build on those wins and overcome Sabalenka on the Grand Slam stage.

“I think it’s fun to look at the rivalry we’ve had. She’s gotten me here the last couple of years. I have been able to beat her a few times, maybe on a smaller stage, so I think that’s going to be kind of a hurdle for me to get over,” Pegula said ahead of the match.

The other semi-final on Thursday sees second-seeded Elena Rybakina, the Australian Open champion, take on the 2023 US Open champion Coco Gauff. Rybakina is poised to claim the No. 1 spot in the WTA rankings by reaching the semis, which will push Sabalenka from the top position.

While Rybakina acknowledged the significance of ascending to No. 1, she emphasized that her primary goal remains winning Grand Slam titles. “It’s a different achievement,” she said of the ranking milestone. “Mostly you think about the titles in the end of the day.”

Sabalenka holds a 9-4 lead in her head-to-head record against Pegula but entered the US Open as one of three contenders capable of dethroning herself from the top ranking. That possibility ended when Rybakina secured her semifinal spot. For Sabalenka, the focus is squarely on history, as she aims to become just the third woman, after Chris Evert and Serena Williams, to win three US Open titles in a row.

“Three-peat, sounds great,” Sabalenka said, reflecting on her pursuit of an unprecedented achievement at the tournament. The women's semifinals on Day 12 highlight a compelling showdown among the sport’s elite players at this year’s US Open.

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