Candidates To Meet Sabalenka In The 2024 US Open Final

Jessica Pegula will be ranked second in the world, Aryna Sabalenka, in the final of the US Open 2024 (Instagram/@jpegula).

JAKARTA The tennis player from the United States, Jessica Pegula, will meet the world number two from Belarus, Aryna Sabalenka, in the final of the US Open 2024.

Pegula reached the final after successfully coming back from behind to beat the representative of the Republic of Ceska, Karolina Muchova, with a score of 1-6, 6-4, and 6-2 on Friday, September 6, 2024, afternoon WIB.

This is the first final for the host to rank sixth in the world at Grand Slam. His furthest previous journey in such a event was the quarter-finals.

Pegula has lost five times in the previous Grand Slam quarter-finals. In detail, the Australian Open 2021, 2022, and 2023, then the French Open 2022, and Wimbledon 2023.

He then beat world number one Iga Swiatek in the quarter-finals on Thursday, September 5, 2024, to carve out his best record at Grand Slam and continued with a win over Muchova.

"He played amazingly and made me look like a beginner. I almost cried because it was embarrassing. He broke me. I don't know how I can turn things around," Pegula said after the match.

Meanwhile, Sabalenka, who is runner-up at the US Open 2023, advanced to the final this year after securing a 6-3 and 7-6 (7-2) victory over another host, Emma Navarro.

Sabalenka, who played at the US Open 2024 under the neutral bandera, was the first female tennis player to reach a single straight final at Flushing Meadows since Serena Williams in 2018 and 2019.

This final match will certainly be a tough challenge for Sabalenka. Even though he is superior in world rankings and one of the heroes on the hard field, Pegula will have the full support of the host audience.

However, Sabalenka has more experience in the final party. He is listed as having two Grand Slam titles at the Australian Open, which he won in 2023 and 2024.