Aryna Sabalenka produces a gritty display to reach US Open final against American hope Jessica Pegula; Watch the US Open this weekend - live on Sky Sports Tennis and Sky Sports+ which is integrated into Sky TV, streaming service NOW and the Sky Sports app
Friday 6 September 2024 14:07, UK
Aryna Sabalenka stayed on course for her third Grand Slam title as she clinched a spot in the US Open final against great American hope Jessica Pegula.
Sabalenka, who was runner-up to Coco Gauff last year, is the hot favourite to go one better this year after crushing the hopes of Emma Navarro 6-3 7-6 (7-2) to reach her fourth Grand Slam final.
Pegula finally made her big breakthrough by sealing a place in Saturday's final with a comeback 1-6 6-4 6-2 victory against unseeded Czech Karolina Muchova in front of a patriotic crowd on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
World No 2 Sabalenka fired 34 winners and eight aces as she fended off surging American Navarro, who was contesting her first Grand Slam semi-final and pushed the second set into a tie-break from 5-3 down.
"It really means a lot, it was an incredible atmosphere," said 26-year-old Sabalenka, who becomes the first woman to reach back-to-back US Open finals since Serena Williams in 2018 and 2019.
"She is such a great player, a really tough opponent, I am really happy to get through this difficult semi-final. I had to stay focused on myself.
"I am ready to face whoever, it's a lesson from the last year learned and I really hope I am going to do better than last year."
Sabalenka broke in just the second game as she looked to dominate her opponent with some fearsome baseline hitting, but Navarro managed to hit back at 2-2.
But the Belarussian, who won the Australian Open earlier this year, put her foot to the pedal to streak through the next four games to take the first set.
However, with Sabalenka serving for the match at 5-4 a wobble gave hope to Navarro, who forced a tie-break.
Sabalenka regained her level and composure, though, to claim a deserved win and move one win away from becoming the first woman to win both hard-court Grand Slam titles in the same year since Angelique Kerber in 2016.
It has been a breakthrough Grand Slam for Navarro, whose father Ben owns a credit card empire, with a place in the world's top 10 her prize when the new rankings are updated.
Sixth seed Pegula made sure at least one American made it through to the women's singles final thanks to a lung-busting three-set success against last year's French Open runner-up, Muchova,
Pegula, who defended her Canadian Open title, has continued her stunning form in New York but now faces Sabalenka in a rematch of the Cincinnati final which she lost in straight sets.
The the 30-year-old from New York came into her first major semi-final after toppling world No 1 Iga Swiatek to snap her 0-6 drought in Grand Slam quarter-finals, and trailed 6-1 2-0, but she mounting a stirring comeback to make it 15 wins out of her last 16 matches.
"It comes down to really small moments that flip momentum. I came out really flat, she was playing unbelievable, she made me look like a beginner," Pegula said.
"I wanted to burst into tears, it was embarrassing. She was destroying me, I was able to find a way, get some adrenalin and find my legs and then I started to play how I wanted to play.
"It took a while but I don't know how I turned that around."
As well as Pegula played, it was also a collapse by Muchova, who was playing just a sixth tournament since nine months out following wrist surgery.
Muchova will leave the tournament thinking about a key point in the third game of the second set, where she missed a routine volley at break point to go 3-0 up.
It went long and Pegula went on to win 12 of the next 16 games as Muchova, who had to leave the court four times during Wednesday's quarter-final due to a stomach bug, ran out of steam.
Rising British star Mika Stojsavljevic is not scared to face American third seed Iva Jovic in the US Open girls' semi-finals.
Stojsavljevic was one of three British junior winners in New York on Thursday as Mingge Xu joined her in the last four of the girls' tournament while Charlie Robertson advanced in the boys'.
Jovic caused a storm in the first week of the tournament when she made the second round of the main draw and was within a few points of beating 29th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova to set up a third-round tie with Aryna Sabalenka.
The 16-year-old will be a big favourite against Stojsavljevic, who said: "I played her before I lost, but that was a year ago.
"I don't think it's daunting at all. I think it's an exciting challenge and a match that I'm really excited for. I watched a bit of her matches. I know how she plays. So it should be an exciting match."
