Sabalenka Advances to U.S. Open Final After Dramatic Win

New York, Sep 5 (AP) — In a tense semifinal showdown at the U.S. Open, Aryna Sabalenka, the defending champion, persevered through moments of high pressure to secure her place in the final for a second consecutive year. Facing Jessica Pegula, Sabalenka endured some unexpected errors at crucial points, including an overhead into the net and a missed volley on her first two match points. Despite these setbacks, Sabalenka maintained her composure and ultimately clinched the match on her third match point, triumphing with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory.

"I was super emotional," Sabalenka admitted post-match. "I kept telling myself to take it one step at a time and focus on the next point."

When her wins were finally secured, Sabalenka celebrated with a scream and open arms. She now prepares to face either No. 8 Amanda Anisimova or No. 23 Naomi Osaka in the final on Saturday. Sabalenka, who is the No. 1 seed, aims to become the first woman to achieve back-to-back U.S. Open titles since Serena Williams' streak from 2012 to 2014.

Reflecting on the match against Pegula, whom she now has an 8-2 career record against, Sabalenka emphasized the hard work she put in for the victory. "Hopefully I can go all the way again," she stated.

The first semifinal was closely contested, contrasting with Sabalenka's straightforward victory over Pegula in last year's final. Since last year, Sabalenka has reached the final stages of major tournaments, being a runner-up at the Australian Open and French Open and making it to the semifinals at Wimbledon.

With the retractable roof of Arthur Ashe Stadium closed due to adverse weather conditions, indoor play allowed for a cleaner performance. Pegula demonstrated precision in the first and third sets with minimal unforced errors but faltered in the second set.

Sabalenka amassed 43 winners compared to Pegula's 21. Despite Pegula's aggressive returns, Sabalenka successfully defended all four break points in the final set.

Pegula expressed her thoughts post-match, clad in a New York Yankees jacket and enjoying a root beer lollipop. "It was really high-level. I don't know how I didn't break back in the third," she said.

Asked about her ability to withstand pressure moments, Sabalenka humorously admitted to "praying inside and hoping for the best."

Neither player had dropped a set in the tournament before this match, though Sabalenka had one fewer match to play due to Marketa Vondrousova's withdrawal because of injury. This left questions about Sabalenka's potential rust, but she dispelled those concerns early on with a 4-2 lead.

Despite losing an early advantage, Sabalenka recalibrated after dropping the first set, coming back stronger and more focused in the following sets.

"I will go out there on Saturday, and I'll fight for every point like it's the last point of my life," vowed Sabalenka with determination.

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