Jessica Pegula and Aryna Sabalenka are quickly building one of the most exciting rivalries in women’s tennis, especially on hard courts. After a heartbreaking loss to Sabalenka in the Cincinnati Open final, Pegula has made it clear she is ready for the rematch in the US Open final.
Pegula didn’t shy away from addressing that loss when speaking to the crowd after her semi-final victory over Karolina Muchova:
“Playing Aryna is going to be really tough. She’s showed how tough she is and probably the favorite to win this tournament. Hopefully, I can get some revenge from Cincinnati,” Pegula said.
She added, “It’s crazy that we are playing each other again, just shows how much great tennis we’ve been playing.”
Pegula’s quest for revenge against Sabalenka might make the US Open 2024 final the biggest showdown in the women’s tournament in many years. The American’s feelings of revenge show that Sabalenka is the player to beat in almost any tournament in the world today.
Pegula felt she was the closest to do so in Cincinnati, but Sabalenka came through and that shows that the American has her work cut out ahead of Saturday’s big final. That comment was significant also to show that this rivalry, going ahead, will be the one to watch out for.
Pegula and Sabalenka set to meet for the 8th time
After the Cincinnati Open final, Jessica even playfully called Aryna “Serena” instead of “Aryna” referring to Sabalenka’s powerhouse playing style resembling that of Serena Williams.
“Thank you guys” Pegula said. “First, congratulations to Aryna. Funny, Andrew said Aryna and I thought he said Serena. But it felt like Serena today with the way you were serving there for a little bit.”
Fans are eager to see if Pegula can finally take down her fierce rival or if Sabalenka will once again assert her dominance on the big stage. One thing’s for sure: this match just got a whole lot more interesting.
