NEW YORK (AP) — On Aryna Sabalenka's first chance to end her U.S. Open semifinal against Jessica Pegula and earn the chance to play for a second consecutive trophy at Flushing Meadows, the defending champion dumped what should have been an easy overhead into the net, then stared at the ground.

On Sabalenka's second chance, she missed a clumsy volley — and later acknowledged she shouldn't have ventured forward, because she went just 15 for 27 when up at the net. Uh, oh.

So good at important moments in the high-stakes, high-tension final set, Sabalenka held it together there and held on, converting her third match point Thursday night for a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory over Pegula in a rematch of last year’s final .

“I was super emotional. I was just like, ‘Oh, my gosh, no way it’s happening.

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