World No. 1 Aryna rallies from a set down to defeat World No. 4 Jessica Pegula in semis; Belarusian reveals she was desperate for another chance to clinch a Grand Slam title after learning harsh lessons from defeats at Australian Open and French Open finals this year
Aryna Sabalenka roars in delight after defeating Jessica Pegula at the US Open semi-final in New York on Thursday. Pics/Getty Images
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka said she is determined to prove that she has learned the ‘tough lessons’ of a challenging season after battling past American World No. 4 Jessica Pegula to reach the US Open final on Thursday. The Belarusian moved a step closer to retaining her US Open crown after recovering from a set down to defeat Pegula 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in an absorbing two-hour five-minute duel on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court.
Aryna roars with delight
Sabalenka unleashed a guttural roar of delight as she finally saw off Pegula, who saved two match points in the 10th game before succumbing. Sabalenka, 27, had also held her nerve earlier in the deciding set, saving four break points to thwart Pegula’s attempts to claw her way back into the contest.
A frustrated Jessica Pegula after her loss to Aryna Sabalenka on Thursday
“I badly wanted to give myself another opportunity, another final, and I want to prove to myself that I learned those tough lessons and I can do better in the finals,” said Sabalenka, who lost both the Australian Open and French Open finals this year to Americans Madison Keys and Coco Gauff respectively, before being upset in the Wimbledon semi-finals by yet another American in Amanda Anisimova. “I think I really played great tennis. I think I handled that pressure really well. I’m super proud of this win,” Sabalenka added.
Another near miss for Pegula
Meanwhile, Pegula was left reflecting on another frustrating near-miss, 12 months after losing to the Belarusian in last year’s final. “I don’t know how I didn’t break back in the third. She came up with some ridiculous shots. I didn’t feel like I did much wrong,” said Pegula Pegula had jolted Sabalenka by taking the first set after recovering from a 2-4 deficit.
However, the defending champion broke Pegula in the second game before levelling the set at 1-1.Now it was Pegula feeling the pressure, and after being broken in the first game, Sabalenka once more pounced on the opening to go 3-1 up. Pegula though refused to fold, and had Sabalenka on the ropes in the sixth game, giving herself a glorious chance to level after going 15-40 up. However, the American was unable to convert either point though, and also squandered a further break point before Sabalenka held for 4-2.
Sabalenka survived another scare when she double-faulted to give Pegula a break point that could have leveled it at 4-4. But once again Pegula was unable to convert while Sabalenka pounced on her third match point to seal victory.
Yuki BhaMbri’s dream doubles run ends in semi-finals
Yuki Bhambri and Michael Venus
Yuki Bhambri and Michael Venus were eliminated in the US Open semi-finals of the men’s doubles event, after the Indian made his deepest run at a Grand Slam tournament. The Indo-New Zealand duo went down 7-6 (7-2) 6-7(7-5) 4-6 in a thrilling contest against the experienced sixth-seeded British pair of Neal Skupski and Joe Salisbury.
Bhambri, 33, became just the fourth Indian man in the Open era to play a Grand Slam doubles semi-finals — Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna are the others. “This has been a special week for me. To be playing at this level and in the semi-finals of a Slam is a big moment,” Bhambri said after the loss.
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