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Jessica Pegula, of the United States, reacts after defeating Karolina Muchova, of the Czech Republic, during the women’s singles semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)
NEW YORK – Jessica Pegula and Aryna Sabalenka both will be trying to win the U.S. Open for the first time when they play each other in Saturday’s final at Flushing Meadows.
The title match in Arthur Ashe Stadium is scheduled to begin at about 4 p.m. EDT.
Pegula is a 30-year-old from New York who is the No. 6 seed and appearing in the first Grand Slam final of her career. She had been 0-6 in major quarterfinals until eliminating No. 1 Iga Swiatek in that round on Wednesday.
Sabalenka is a 26-year-old from Belarus who is the No. 2 seed and seeking her third major championship. She has won the Australian Open each of the past two seasons and was the runner-up to Coco Gauff at the 2023 U.S. Open.
Sabalenka entered Saturday on an 11-match winning streak.
Pegula has won 15 of her past 16 matches, all on hard courts like those used at Flushing Meadows. The lone loss in that span came against Sabalenka in the final of the Cincinnati Open last month.
No. 1 Jannik Sinner of Italy will face No. 12 Taylor Fritz of the United States in the men’s final Sunday. Sinner is seeking his second Grand Slam title, while Fritz hopes to become the first American man to win a major trophy since Andy Roddick at the 2003 U.S. Open.
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