Who Pissed Her Off? – Tennis Now

Jessica Pegula felt that there was nothing she might have finished to decelerate Aryna Sabalenka of their US Open semifinal on Thursday.

Chris OddoSeptember 10, 20262 minute learn

For the third consecutive 12 months, Jessica Pegula’s US Open run has ended by the hands of Aryna Sabalenka.

Sabalenka defeated the 32-year-old American 7-5, 6-2 in Thursday’s semifinals, following her victory over Pegula within the 2024 last and once more in final 12 months’s semifinals.

Pegula continues to provide herself probabilities to seize an elusive first Grand Slam title. The issue is that Sabalenka retains standing in her manner.

“I believe that’s undoubtedly — you’ll be able to ask her — in all probability the most effective match she’s performed this 12 months,” Pegula mentioned. “I imply, I assumed her degree was insanely excessive.”

The match was aggressive early, however as soon as Sabalenka discovered her vary, Pegula felt there was little she might do.

“I don’t know who pissed her off as we speak,” Pegula joked. “Hopefully it wasn’t me completely, however might need been. I don’t know. She performed insane. She performed a super-high degree.”

Sabalenka’s dominance on the hard-court majors has grow to be outstanding. Thursday’s victory improved her report to 51-3 throughout the Australian Open and US Open over her present run of eight consecutive hard-court majors, reaching no less than the ultimate in each one.

Now she is one victory away from a fifth Grand Slam title — and her first main trophy of 2026.

Pegula walked away disenchanted however hardly dissatisfied together with her personal efficiency.

“Truthfully, I don’t actually know if there was a lot I might do as we speak,” she mentioned. “I don’t suppose she missed a backhand your complete match.”

For Pegula, that will have been probably the most irritating half. She felt she performed effectively — maybe higher than in some earlier conferences with Sabalenka — and it nonetheless wasn’t near sufficient.

“I did my greatest. I assumed I didn’t play unhealthy,” Pegula mentioned. “However I believe that degree was in all probability the very best I’ve seen from her.”