‘Motivated’ Aryna Sabalenka reflects on previous campaigns as she eyes maiden US Open title after beating Emma Navarro in semifinals
Aryna Sabalenka talked about what she learned from her previous campaigns as she prepares to play another final at the US Open.
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Aryna Sabalenka (Image via X)
Aryna Sabalenka will play her back-to-back finals at the US Open after defeating home favorite Emma Navarro in the semifinals on Thursday (September 5). After the match, Sabalenka recalled playing last year’s final at Flushing Meadows and how, despite the heartbreaking defeats in the previous editions, she always aimed to clinch her maiden US Open title.
Amidst loud cheers for Navarro from the crowd inside the Arthur Ashe Stadium, Sabalenka clinched a 6-3, 7-6(2) victory. The 26-year-old talked about what she had learned from her experiences at Flushing Meadows, saying not being able to handle the crowd was one of the reasons behind her defeat last year. Despite the defeats, she still hopes to take home the ‘beautiful’ trophy.
Every time I'm coming back here, I have this positive thinking, like, ‘Come, on, maybe this time.’ Every time I'm hoping that one day I'll be able to hold that beautiful trophy.Aryna Sabalenka said at a press conference
Sabalenka has now become the first woman since Serena Williams in 2019 to reach back-to-back US Open finals. It will also be Sabalenka’s fourth Grand Slam final, previously reaching the summit clash at the 2024 Australian Open which she ended up winning.
Aryna Sabalenka is set to face Jessica Pegula in the final
Aryna Sabalenka will next lock horns with another home favorite, just like last year when she met Coco Gauff. Jessica Pegula, in the other semifinal, overcame Karolina Muchova in three sets to set up the clash with the Belarusian on Saturday (September 7).
The World No.2 will face the World No. 6 for the eighth time on the WTA Tour and leads 5-2 in their head-to-head encounter. At the 2020 Roland Garros, they played their first Grand Slam match. The Belarusian last met Pegula at this year’s Cincinnati Open final where the former lifted her second title of the year. Pegula, on the other hand, won the Canadian Open on the North American hard-court swing.
Although Sabalenka has lifted two Grand Slam titles in her career so far, Saturday’s final will be Pegula’s first in major events. The American had previously lost all six Grand Slam quarterfinals before getting past World No. 1 Iga Swiatek to book a berth in her first semifinal.
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Gouri Das
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