“Broke Into Someone’s Private Event”- Aryna Sabalenka Reveals Strict US Open Routine

New York rarely gives anyone a quiet moment. For Aryna Sabalenka, however, even the gruelling schedule of the US Open has to make room for her daily routine. After defeating Jessica Pegula to reach another final in New York, the Belarusian revealed just how far she is willing to go to keep her pre-match rituals intact, even if it means feeling like she has “broke into someone’s private event.”

And judging by what happened on Arthur Ashe Stadium, Sabalenka may have been right to protect them.

The two-time defending champion powered past Pegula 7-5, 6-2 to reach her fourth consecutive US Open final. It was another statement performance from the top seed, who now owns 19 straight wins at the tournament and becomes the first woman since Serena Williams in 2014 to reach four consecutive US Open finals.
Yet after producing arguably her best performance in months, Sabalenka wasn’t thinking about records. She was thinking about breakfast, dinner and the familiar rituals that help her feel like herself in the middle of the New York storm.

Asked whether she had any rituals planned before Saturday’s final, Sabalenka smiled and admitted, “Oh yeah I do, I have my favorite breakfast, I have my dinner that has to be even last night at Polo Bar they had private events.”

She further added, “But just because I’ve my rituals, they squeeze me and I felt like I really broke into someone’s private event. My routine means a lot to me. So yeah, I definitely get some.”

Sabalenka’s New York routine goes well beyond what she eats before a match. She has spent years figuring out the city on her own terms, right down to where she stays. She prefers booking a room as high up in the hotel as possible, while her decade of trips to the city has also helped her build a personal list of places where she knows she can eat well without compromising her routine.

“I go to Polo Bar; I have my steak there with really good sides,” she once said. Greek restaurants also make the list, along with the healthier spots she has discovered over the years. The restraint, however, doesn’t last forever. Once the tournament is over, Sabalenka admits she gives herself permission to let loose. “After the tournament I go crazy,” she said.

And there is another side to her New York ritual that has little to do with tennis. Her coffee shop, breakfast spot and favorite restaurant have all become familiar stops, while walks through Central Park give her a chance to step away from the intensity of the tournament.

For Sabalenka, there is something about the city’s relentless energy that feeds her competitive instincts. “Everyone is rushing there,” she explained. “Everyone is chasing something. And you’re there chasing your own thing. You feel supermotivated.”

She may not want New York as a permanent home, but two or three weeks in the city during the US Open are a different story. The chaos, the movement and the feeling that everyone is pursuing something seem to sharpen her own hunger, and after the turbulent months she has endured, she may need every bit of that New York edge to finish the job.

For a player preparing to compete for her third straight US Open title, those seemingly ordinary details can mean everything. New York is loud, unpredictable, and packed with distractions. Sabalenka, though, has found something that keeps her grounded, doing things the way she knows work.

And on Thursday night, that familiar formula produced another masterclass.

Aryna Sabalenka’s New York dominance continues

Pegula entered the semifinal with the home crowd behind her and the opportunity to reach the first Grand Slam final of her career. Sabalenka, meanwhile, had history within touching distance.

The first set initially looked as though it could become a long battle. Neither player gave much away on serve, with Sabalenka holding a narrow 6-5 advantage as Pegula stepped up to serve.

Then the champion turned the pressure dial all the way up.

A barrage of heavy groundstrokes pushed Pegula into trouble, and suddenly she was facing three set points. The American eventually sent a return into the net, handing Sabalenka the opener.

From there, the match began slipping away.

Sabalenka immediately attacked Pegula’s second serve in the second set and secured the decisive break for a 3-1 lead with a forehand fired into the corner. Pegula could not find a response as Sabalenka continued dictating exchanges from the baseline.

At 5-2, another long return from Pegula presented Sabalenka with match point. One more ruthless forehand finished the job.

The victory was her 46th of 2026 and the 62nd top-10 win of her career. More importantly, it put her one victory away from joining an elite club alongside Chris Evert and Serena Williams as only the third woman to win three consecutive US Open titles.

But Sabalenka insisted there was more behind her performance than simply hitting harder.

After the match, Sabalenka was asked what had changed for her to produce such a commanding performance.

Her answer was revealing. “I don’t know I was so desperate to win, I wanted it badly and focus on myself,” she said. Then she glanced toward her player box.

“And guys look at my box… I couldn’t fall in front of those beautiful girls, best people and my team of course. Love you guys.”

Then came a moment that showed just how much Sabalenka appreciated the atmosphere inside Ashe.

“You guys are the best,” she told the crowd. “Your respect to me is priceless. I know you wanted her to win, it’s obvious. But thank you for being so respectful to me. Love you guys.”

The reaction was notable because Sabalenka had just eliminated the home favorite. Yet rather than dwelling on the hostility that can sometimes accompany a match like this, she chose to acknowledge the crowd for giving her the respect to compete freely.

Coming to her peformance, that intensity has become part of Sabalenka’s identity. The power is obvious – the booming serve, explosive forehand and relentless baseline hitting. But underneath it is a competitor who appears to thrive when the pressure becomes almost unbearable.

Now, she has one match left.

Sabalenka will face either Elena Rybakina or Coco Gauff in Saturday’s final, with Gauff carrying a particularly painful memory for the Belarusian after defeating her in the 2023 championship match.

For now, though, Sabalenka is sticking to what she knows.

The favorite breakfast. The familiar dinner. The rituals that make New York feel a little less chaotic.

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