Aryna Sabalenka goes from desperation to confidence after US Open semi-final win

[p]The ‌top seed had not reached the final of ‌any tournament since completing the "Sunshine Double" in March and arrived at ‌Flushing Meadows with major questions about her form.[/p][p]But she ‌has silenced those doubts with a clinical campaign in New York, beating Wimbledon champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/noskova-linda/zHMiAkw6/"]Linda Noskova[/a] in the quarter-finals [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/pegula-j-KdojxrAR/sabalenka-a-vyhksgUB/?mid=4zyfwf9s"]before taking down[/a] the ‌top American [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/pegula-jessica/KdojxrAR/"]Pegula[/a].[/p][embed guid="c690ddad-d60e-4f31-8f95-82bf12fcbb4e" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WAjW7l89YQ" social-type="youtube" /][p]She now stands on the ⁠brink of completing a ‌rare "three-peat" at the hardcourt major in her fourth straight trip to ​the championship match on Saturday.[/p][p]"[b]I just love New York,[/b]" said [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sabalenka-aryna/vyhksgUB/"]Sabalenka[/a], whose last Grand Slam triumph came ​at Flushing Meadows last year.[/p][p]"[b]I love being here, and I love the energy of the city. I think that's ⁠what drives me. ​That's what really inspires me and pushes me to keep going.[/b]"[/p][image alt="Match stats: Sabalenka vs Pegula" id="6f55953d-8dde-4a61-89d7-8a8bf913dd60" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="492b70ec-eb01-4c44-b00f-a8ea1957ad50" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p]That the semi-final win came against Pegula - who triumphed in their last meeting only three months ago in Berlin - seemed ‌to sweeten the victory for Sabalenka.[/p][p]"[b]I was super desperate. I lost a tough match on grass against Jess, and I wasn't really performing well in the middle part of the season,[/b]" she said.[/p][p]"[b]So it kind of like feels for me, talking about Grand Slams, like a last push of the season. I wanted it badly to go to the finals, and of course, I want to go all ‌the way.[/b][/p][p]"[b]The mentality was just I'm ready. I'm ready ​for whatever it's going to take to get the ‌win.[/b]"[/p][embed guid="34d1ddb3-c30c-4e71-bdb9-0aa2db31eaa8" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwlmpR9cKR4" social-type="youtube" /][p]She now commands the longest hard-court Grand Slam final streak of all time, reaching her eighth in a row in a run that dates back to her maiden major title win at the 2023 Australian Open.[/p][p]"[b]I ⁠feel confident,[/b]" said Sabalenka. "[b]I ⁠feel mentally and physically ‌really strong right now.[/b]"[/p][infobox id="3dc51b3a-107f-482b-9173-a97d347ef1b3" /]