Once again, Aryna Sabalenka has played her way into the US Open final. The defending champion clawed back from a set down on Thursday night, beating Jessica Pegula 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 with the kind of grit and serving power that has come to define her run at the top.

It will be Sabalenka’s seventh Grand Slam final — and her fourth in the past five majors — leaving her one win from back-to-back titles in New York. She’ll face either Amanda Anisimova or Naomi Osaka for the trophy on Saturday.

“In this match I was actually just trying to take one step at a time,” Sabalenka said afterward. “I was, like, it’s OK if you didn’t close it from the first match point. You’re playing great tennis. Just go try and [be] better.”

The roof was closed over Arthur Ashe Stadium as the rain arrived, creating still conditions that suited both players. Pegula took full advantage early, playing nearly error-free tennis in the opening set and keeping Sabalenka off balance. She made only three unforced errors in that stretch and stayed aggressive on return, drawing the crowd into every rally.

Sabalenka steadied in the second. Her game grew sharper, while Pegula’s level dipped, producing nine errors in that set alone. By the end, the power numbers told the story: Sabalenka finished with 43 winners to Pegula’s 21, including eight aces.

The deciding set delivered the night’s biggest drama. Pegula carved out four break points but couldn’t convert, as Sabalenka’s serve again held firm.

That reliance on her serve would have been unthinkable just a few years ago. After reworking her motion in 2022, Sabalenka’s delivery has become the backbone of her game, and it was the weapon that ultimately separated the two on Thursday night.

Pegula gave credit to the level on both sides, admitting she couldn’t find the breakthrough late.

“Yeah, I thought it was really high-level,” Pegula said. “I don’t really know what else to say. I don’t know how I didn’t break back in the third.

I mean, I thought I played some really good points to win the first. She upped her level, started serving a lot better in the second. Then I felt like it was really even in the third. Like, there wasn’t that much difference. I felt like we were both serving pretty well.”

She added that, despite the loss, she felt her approach was sharper than in previous meetings.

“I think strategically I played her much better than I have played her the last few times. I feel like going into the next match, I kind of know what I need to do. Obviously executing it is a different story.

“I think there were some things, very small things, I could have done different at the end, but it’s, like, I mean, I’m nitpicking things. If she’s going to come out and I was hitting some good returns and she’s going to blast first-ball winners, literally some of them on the line, I don’t know what I’m supposed to do about that.”

For Sabalenka, the takeaway was another chance at the biggest prize.

“I’m super excited to give myself another opportunity, another final,” Sabalenka said. “If I’ll be able to hold that trophy, it’s going to mean a lot for me. I’ll be just the happiest person on earth probably.”