Aryna Sabalenka once again proved insurmountable for Jessica Pegula, edging out a hard-fought 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory in their US Open semifinal Thursday night.

The contest, far more competitive than their straightforward encounter a year prior in the final, saw defending champion Sabalenka inch tantalizingly close to a rare feat: back-to-back titles at Flushing Meadows, a milestone last achieved by Serena Williams during her dominant 2012-2014 run.

The top seed from Belarus will face either No. 8 Amanda Anisimova or No. 23 Naomi Osaka in Saturday's final, where the trophy and a place in the record books awaits.

Sabalenka's journey since last year's triumph, which marked her third Grand Slam title has been a story of near-misses and resilience. She was runner-up to Madison Keys at the Australian Open in January, succumbed to Coco Gauff in the French Open final in June, and fell to Anisimova in the Wimbledon semifinals just last month.

The match hung in the balance until Sabalenka's third match point, after a pair of uncharacteristic errors had squandered her earlier chances. When it finally ended, she let out a primal scream, an eruption of relief, defiance, and the pure joy of a champion refusing to relinquish her crown.