Sabalenka subdues dark flashbacks to reach second USO final

Aryna Sabalenka will try to go one step better than a year ago at the US Open as she faces Jessica Pegula in Saturday’s women’s final at the last major of the season,

The world No. 2 who lost the 2023 title match to Coco Gauff, will now face a test against another American after Pegula booked her spot with a 1-6, 6-4, 6-2 fightback over Czech Karolina Muchova.

Sabalenka moved through her semi-final with relative ease, defeating Emma Navarro of the US 6-3, 7-6 (2) but still had to grapple with outbursts from a pro-home crowd.

“That was a very difficult match,” Sabalenka said. “At the end of the second set  I got a little emotional and had this little flashback (on a hostile crowd atmosphere) on last year’s final.

“I’m really glad for the lessons learned; I was able to control my emotions and close this match in two sets.”

She added: “With a sizable proportion of the notoriously rowdy New York fans cheering the home player – daughter of a hedge fund billionaire – Sabalenka had to submerge dark memories of poor form by the public from her loss to Gauff  12 months ago.

“Today wasn’t that crazy, actually. They (crowd) were loud, but during the point they were respectful and chill.

“Last year they were just super loud, even during the point. It was so loud, (that)  it was blocking my ears… so much pressure.

“Today I was, like, No, no, no, Aryna, it’s not going to happen again. You have to control your emotions. You have to focus on yourself.

“There were people supporting me. I was trying to focus on them. 

“I’m thinking, come on, there are so many people supporting you. There is your team in the box. There is  your family. Just focus on yourself and just fight for it.”

Sabalenka produced her win in 93 minutes, hitting 34 aces and the same number of winners. Navarro went 13/13 while breaking the double Australian Open winner twice.

“I had really tough lessons here in the past, (and) so many opportunities that I didn’t use it for different reasons. 

“I wasn’t ready. Then I got emotional. Then I just couldn’t handle the (2023) crowd.

“But every time I’m coming back here, I have this positive thinking; every time I’m hoping that one day I’ll be able to hold that beautiful trophy.”

The final will be a repeat of last month’s Cincinnati title match won by Sabalenka over Pegula, who will be competing in her first Grand Slam final.

Sabalenka,who missed the Olympics after picking up a shoulder injury at Wimbledon, admitted that being forced to lighten her summer playing load might have helped her at Flushing Meadows.

“I decided to sacrifice the Olympics for the hard court season – I have no regrets on that decision. 

“It looks like it was the right one.  We had a little camp before the hard court season. I was able to reset my mind and clean my thoughts and start everything from the beginning.”

In the second semi, Pegula had to turn her match around after trailing 6-1, 2-0 against Muchova. one of the revelations of the fortnight as she makes a return from injury.

The 30-year-old American – also from a billionaire, pro sports team-owning family, began her fightback to become  the oldest American woman to play her first Grand Slam final. 

The New Yorker ran to the final after spring injuries which forced her from four 1000-level tournaments as well as Roland Garros.

But last month she won the Toronto title and lost the Cincinnati final to Sabalenka. 

The winner of 15 of her last 16 matches was thrilled with her showing:

“That was quite the match,” Pegula said. “Obviously I’m happy to be here  saying that I turned it around, but it was looking a little rough there for

a while. 

“Somehow I found a way and was actually able to play some really good tennis and keep that momentum through that third set and close it out.

“We had some really good tennis at the end of the second and into the third. I’m just happy with the way I was able to compete.”

Pegula said that holding serve for 1-2 in the second set and saving a break point helped her start reversing the momentum.

“The crowd really helped me get some adrenaline into me. I was just very, very flat. I wasn’t even nervous. I was just super flat, and she’s really tough to play when you’re flat.”

Pegula called her finals berth “amazing, a childhood dream. It’s what I wanted when I was a kid.”

She added: “I’m just happy to be in a final, but obviously I come here wanting to win the title. 

“If you would have told me at the beginning of the year I’d be in the finals of the US Open, I would have laughed so hard, because that just was where my head

was, thinking that I would be here.

“To overcome all those challenges and say that I get a chance at the title Saturday is what we play for.

“To be able to do that in my home country here, in my home slam.. it’s perfect, really.”