How Jessica Pegula and Aryna Sabalenka reached the US Open final (2024)

World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka, the reigning Australian Open champion, will take on Jessica Pegula, the world No. 6, in the U.S. Open women's singles final on Saturday.

For Sabalenka, this is her fourth Grand Slam final. She is trying to win her first U.S. Open after falling short in the final last year to American Coco Gauff.

Pegula is playing in her first slam final. After entering this U.S. Open being 0-6 in slam quarterfinals, Pegula reached her first semifinal after trouncing world No. 1 Iga Swiatek. Then, in the semis, Pegula rallied from losing the first set and being down a break in the second to defeat Karolina Muchova in three sets 1-6, 6-4, 6-2.

Sabalenka and Pegula are no strangers to facing one another. The pair met a couple of weeks ago in the Cincinnati Open final, which Sabalenka won 6-3, 7-5.

It's a matchup of the baseline power from Sabalenka versus the flat groundstrokes of Pegula. On the line... a U.S. Open title.

First ball is at 4 p.m. ET on Saturday.

That moment at 0-2, 30-40 in the first set did turn out to be the turning point. A double break there would surely have been too much for Pegula, who just said that Muchova "made me look like a beginner" in those early exchanges.

As it was, she deserves a huge amount of credit for turning it around.

Jessica Pegula, U.S. Open finalist.

The comeback is complete.

America’s Jessica Pegula, the world No. 6, is into the U.S. Open final, defeating Karolina Muchova in three sets 1-6, 6-4, 6-2. It is Pegula’s first Grand Slam final of her career.

Pegula lost the first set in 28 minutes. She couldn’t combat the variety of shots from Muchova, along with her court coverage and net play. Muchova was up a break 2-0 in the second set and one point from a commanding 3-0 lead.

Pegula turned it around. She began to dictate the points, thanks to extending the rallies. Pegula found the pace on her flat groundstrokes, hitting the ball deep which prevented Muchova from coming into the net.

In the third set, Pegula faced three break point opportunities. Muchova kept the scoreboard pressure, only down a break. Pegula saved all three of Muchova’s break point chances in the third set, guiding the American to victory.

It will be a rematch of the Cincinnati Open final Saturday as Pegula takes on world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka for the U.S. Open title.

At least Karolina Muchova won't have to face the U.S. Open's arbiters of doom when she goes out to serve at 2-5.

It's far too late for a load of kids with jumbo tennis balls to surge to the front.

Pegula grimaced after missing a drop shot into the net. One point later, Muchova launched her Head racket skyward, prancing forward a step to catch it before it could hit the ground.

The outbursts weren't necessary to show how big of a game this was in this match. But they sure illustrated it.

And with Muchova sending a shot wide, Pegula pressed her advantage to 5-2, putting her on the cusp of the U.S. Open final.

It seems like for every long rally or deuce showdown, there have been games that have been finished in the blink of an eye. Muchova just had one to tighten her deficit to 4-2.

She badly needs a break of Pegula's serve.

After a lengthy game at 3-1, Jessica Pegula found a way to hold serve.

She staved off a Karolina Muchova break point and prevented a Muchova comeback in that game.

Muchova showcased her full arsenal, from the slice to the court coverage.

But Pegula came up big on the clutch points to hold serve.

Now two games away from the final.

Karolina Muchova is on the board in the third set.

She smashes her forehand down the line to get the service hold.

Muchova is down just a break 3-1 in this third set.

But Pegula's found her serve.

In a sign, perhaps, of the home country of the athletes and of the latest rankings, the American No. 6 seed Jessica Pegula is a massive live betting favorite in U.S. casinos against unseeded Karolina Muchova.

She was facing a break point at 0-2 in the second set, but Pegula has charged back to put herself in strong position to reach a final against Aryna Sabalenka.

She's meeting Muchova's angles with touch and precision. She's stepping into the court to dictate points. The jitters and disadvantages of the first set have seemingly been erased.

And Pegula has won nine of her last 11 games.

It's all Jessica Pegula right now in this semifinal.

The American gets an early break in the third set to go up 2-0 on Karolina Muchova.

Pegula won 16 of her last 20 points.

So far in the third set, Muchova has seven unforced errors after 19 in the second set.

Pegula leads 2-0.

Pegula wants this third set to have a tone that's in her favor. She started that by holding on her first service game to go up, 1-0.

It was relatively easy. But one thing to watch through this final set will be whether Pegula comes through on her opportunities to break Muchova. The pressure points.

Jessica Pegula takes the second set 6-4 over Karolina Muchova.

Pegula breaks Muchova for the third time to force this match into a decider after a double fault ends the set.

After struggling to deal with Muchova’s arsenal of shots in the first set, Pegula found her rhythm in the second set. She extended the rallies (six points won of nine or more shots), which allowed Pegula to hit her flat groundstrokes.

Incredible comeback from Pegula after being down a break in the second set.

To a third set for a spot in the U.S. Open final.

What a volley from Karolina Muchova.

Just a bonkers angle to get the service hold.

It's 4-4 in the second set.

Both players are battling out there.

Pegula has grabbed a good deal of stability in this second set... we can't quite call it momentum with Muchova breaking Pegula's serve to get within 4-3. It's probably a sign of how dominant Muchova was in the opening set that any sustained success for Pegula now looks like a tournament lifesaver.

Difficult to know who would be better in a tiebreaker, and that's enough by itself for Pegula to feel like she needs another break of Muchova to go from fighting to truly contending.

On the fourth break point opportunity, Jessica Pegula capitalizes to go up 4-2 in the second set.

Feels like a turning point in this match as Pegula yells a "come on."

The American with a gutsy effort to come back in this match after being down a break in this set.

The rally length increased and Pegula is connecting on her groundstrokes with pace.

Game on.

Pegula is needing to turn this match around, and it's starting with the foundational achievement of holding on her serve.

It hasn't been easy. She's had to fight through deuces with Muchova to keep pace. But with a 3-2 lead and the set on serve, Pegula is looking much stronger and, probably more importantly, isn't making the mistakes that cost her the first set so quickly.

Jessica Pegula is fighting.

After staving off a break point the previous game, Pegula gets a break of her own.

A gutsy effort from the American, who is starting to find rhythm against Muchova.

2-2 second set.

A possible turning point there? Muchova looked like she had the double break sewn up but Pegula stretched for a forehand and drew a missed volley from her opponent.

The crowd got properly involved for the first time tonight, and Pegula holds.

Muchova to serve up 2-1.

A big cheer from Arthur Ashe Stadium is more like a plea for Pegula: Please make this semifinal more competitive.

It's unclear if they'll get their wish, because Muchova has been all over Pegula from both sides of the baseline and pretty much everywhere else she wants.

More likely than not, this could be over quickly, perhaps within an hour (it's 41 minutes in right now).