Aryna Sabalenka Reacts to Jessica Pegula Battle After Surpassing Serena Williams’ Record at US Open

The women’s semifinal match between Aryna Sabalenka and Jessica Pegula at the 2025 US Open was a showstopper. But only one can win the match, and that was none other than the number one WTA star. Despite losing the first set, she claimed the win with a scoreline of 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. But was the fight against Pegula actually hard for the Polish athlete? Well, it certainly seems like it! And that brought the Polish athlete to make history. 

Aryna Sabalenka was clearly happy with her next step towards the final match of the 2025 US Open. And as always, she hopes to claim the win again. But this win over Jessica Pegula came with an achievement for Sabalenka. She just surpassed Serena Williams in the Grand Slam win% vs. those in the WTA top 10. While Williams has a Grand Slam win percentage of 68.9%, Sabalenka has now pushed her numbers to 69.2%. Now, there’s only one name for her to overcome. And that’s Steffi Graf’s 76.5% wins at Grand Slams. And that made things hard for Sabalenka. 

During the post-match interview, Sabalenka expressed her honest opinion on her opponent. Claiming that it was a really tough match, she said, “She played incredible tennis as always. And I had to world really hard to get this win. And of course, I’m super happy to get the win against Jessica. She’s such a great player, great fighter. Always tough matches.”  

It’s worth noting that Sabalenka and Pegula have already fought 9 times prior to their face-off in the 2025 US Open. The Polish star won 7 of them, while Pegula secured victory in only two. Also, the one who won the first round ended up winning the match in all events when Pegula faced Sabalenka, except for the 2020 Cincinnati Open and the 2025 US Open. But there was one more aspect that posed a bit of trouble for Aryna Sabalenka. 

Because of a storm brewing in the Erie basin Marina, there was a drizzle in Queens. And that forced the operators to close the roof of the Arthur Ashe Stadium. Now, this gave the heavy hitters an advantage. And as we all know, Sabalenka tries to spin her strikes, while Pegula pushes them flat. Yet, Sabalenka rose victorious with two out of three sets in her favor. But there’s one more record that Sabalenka can break in the US Open.

So, what did she think during the third set, and what does she think of the final match? Let’s proceed with the on-court interview and see what more the US Open finalist has to say. 

Aryna Sabalenka opens up on her stance for the US Open final

Sabalenka had to fight off break-point after break-point in the third set. And that’s what got her the win over Pegula. When the reporter asked her the same during the post-match interview, she claimed, “I don’t know. I was just praying inside and hoping for the best.” And now that she’s a finalist, she can become the first woman in 11 years to win back-to-back US Open titles. 

Serena Williams was the last person to do so. She won three consecutive US Open titles from 2012 to 2014. So, what does Aryna Sabalenka think of that? “It means a lot. I’ll go out there on Saturday, right? We’re playing on Saturday. I’ll go out there on Saturday and I’ll fight for every point like the last point of my life,” the Polish star answered.  

But who will Sabalenka face in the finale? Will it be Naomi Osaka? Or will it be Amanda Anisimova? Whoever it may be, we’re all set for an exciting US Open final. 

And while that happens, don’t miss a beat from the ongoing 2025 US Open by visiting the EssentiallySports Live Blog!