Jessica Pegula and Aryna Sabalenka last met last month in the final of the Cincinnati Open. (Photo by … (+)
The US Open women’s singles final will be played on Saturday, with Aryna Sabalenka facing Jessica Pegula in the title match at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Second seed Sabalenka will be playing in her second consecutive US Open final after losing to champion Coco Gauff at Flushing Meadows last year.
Local hero Pegula, on the other hand, is playing in her first Grand Slam final.
Personal records
Sabalenka is the first woman since Serena Williams in 2018 and 2019 to reach consecutive US Open finals.
The hard-hitting Belarusian has reached all four Grand Slam hard court finals in the last two seasons and is currently on an 11-match winning streak.
The world number two is just one win away from becoming the first woman to win both Grand Slam hard court titles in the same year since Angelique Kerber won the Australian Open and the US Open in 2016.
Aryna Sabalenka won her second consecutive Australian Open title earlier this year. (Photo by Julian … (+)
At 30, Pegula is the oldest American woman in the Open Era to reach her first Grand Slam final. She is the third American woman aged 30 or older to reach the final of the US Open, joining Serena and Martina Navratilova.
Pegula is aiming for her first Grand Slam title and seventh career title overall. She won in Berlin and Toronto this year and a win would give her a third title this season.
Jessica Pegula celebrates her title win in Toronto. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
Direct comparison
Sabalenka and Pegula met seven times, with Sabalenka winning five of those matches.
The last time they met was at the Cincinnati Open, where Sabalenka defeated Pegula in the final, becoming the only player to beat her on the North American hard court tour this summer.
Pegula’s two victories over Sabalenka came in the first round of the 2023 WTA Finals and in the round of 16 of the 2020 Cincinnati Open, which was held in New York this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Here is the full list of their encounters so far:
- Cincinnati final 2024: Sabalenka defeated Pegula 6-3, 7-5
- WTA Finals 2023, Round 1: Pegula defeats Sabalenka 6-4, 6-3
- WTA Finals 2022, Round 1: Sabalenka defeated Pegula 6-3, 7-5
- Round of 16 Rome 2022: Sabalenka defeated Pegula 6-1, 6-4
- 2021 Madrid Round of 16: Sabalenka defeated Pegula 6-1, 6-2
- Round 1 of the French Open 2020: Sabalenka defeated Pegula 6-3, 6-1
- 2020 Cincinnati (NYC) Round of 16: Pegula defeated Sabalenka 6:2, 2:6, 6:3
How did Sabalenka and Pegula reach the final?
Sabalenka only dropped one set on her way to the US Open final.
- First round: Victory against Priscilla Hon 6-3, 6-3
- Second round: Won against Lucia Bronzetti with 6:3, 6:1
- Third round: Victory against Ekaterina Alexandrova 2-6, 6-1, 6-2
- Round of 16: Victory against Elise Martens 6-2, 6-4
- Quarterfinals: Victory against Qinwen Zheng 6-1, 6-2
- Semi-final: Victory against Emma Navarro 6-3, 7-6(2)
Like Sabalenka, Pegula only dropped one set at the tournament. The American also caused a big surprise when she eliminated world number one Iga Swiatek in the quarterfinals.
- First round: Victory against Shelby Rogers 6-4, 6-3
- Second round: Victory against Sofia Kenin 7-6(4), 6-3
- Third round: Victory against Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-3, 6-3
- Round of 16: Victory against Diana Shnaider 6-4, 6-2
- Quarterfinals: Victory against Iga Swiatek 6-2, 6-4
- Semifinal: Won against Karolina Muchova 1-6, 6-4, 6-2
Where can I watch Pegula vs Sabalenka?
The game begins at 4:00 p.m. ET. Viewers in the U.S. can watch it on ESPN/ESPN Deportes.
How much is the prize money?
By reaching the final, Sabalenka and Pegula secured $1,800,000.
The winner will receive $3,600,000.
