Semifinals: Aryna Sabalenka vs. Jessica Pegula
Arthur Ashe Stadium — Night Session — First Match
- It may look like déjà vu, and in some ways it will be when No. 1 seed Sabalenka faces No. 4 seed Pegula on Thursday night. Unlike last year, when they played for a title, the winner here will need one more victory to finish first. Sabalenka will be playing in her 13th Grand Slam semifinal, while Pegula contests her second.
- Sabalenka has made the semifinals or better in 11 of her last 12 appearances at Slams. She did not have to take the court in the quarterfinals as her opponent, Marketa Vondrousova, withdrew prior to the match due to a knee injury.
- Pegula's best run at a major came last year here in Flushing Meadows, where she lost a 7-5, 7-5 final to Sabalenka. This year, Pegula advanced to her second major semifinal after taking out two-time Grand Slam champion Barbora Krejcikova 6-3, 6-3 on Tuesday in Ashe.
- It has been rare for Sabalenka to not make the quarterfinals or better (11 out of 13 tournaments played) in 2025. The world No. 1 has had success at big tournaments, winning two WTA 1000 titles, Madrid and Miami. But she's come up just short at the Slams, losing in the final of the Australian Open and Roland Garros, and bowing out in the semifinals of Wimbledon—all to Americans.
- Pegula has posted a 5-0 semifinal record in 2025, going on to capture titles in Austin, Charleston and Bad Homburg. Her two losses in finals were to Madison Keys in Adelaide and Sabalenka in Miami.
- On paper, both Sabalenka and Pegula have had a relatively easy run at the 2025 US Open. Neither has dropped a set en route to the semifinals. Sabalenka has faced only one seeded player, No. 31 seed Leylah Fernandez in Round 3. Pegula has not faced a single seed; her highest-ranked opponent was world No. 58 Ann Li in Round 4.
- Sabalenka is the favorite in the matchup, holding a 9-2 record over Pegula. Their last three meetings have all been in finals, all in the United States. Sabalenka won all three of those matchups in straight sets, in Cincinnati (2024), New York (2024) and Miami (2025).
