NEW YORK -- World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and No. 3 seed Jessica Pegula were both tested during third-round play Friday at the US Open, keeping alive the chances of a third straight meeting on the final weekend.
Sabalenka beat Kamilla Rakhimova 6-3, 6-4 on Friday. The No. 1 seed was pushed in a second set that lasted 54 minutes -- a minute longer than her entire previous match.
"She played incredible tennis," Sabalenka said. "She really pushed me so hard in the second set, and I love when they bring their best tennis because they really push me to improve."
Trying to become the first player to win three straight US Open titles since Serena Williams from 2012 to 2014, Sabalenka will face Taylor Townsend in the round of 16.
Pegula fought back to beat 2021 runner-up Leylah Fernandez 1-6, 6-4, 6-3. Pegula, who lost to Sabalenka in the 2024 final and again last year in the semifinals, had a dismal start in which she put only 5 of 16 first serves in during the first set.
Fernandez hadn't won a Grand Slam singles match this year until getting to New York and was trying to reach the fourth round at the US Open for the first time since falling to Emma Raducanu in the final five years ago. Pegula handled her easily in their only meeting this year but said Fernandez showed her different looks that gave her trouble.
"I didn't start off very well. It was tough," Pegula said. "I had to dig deep there in the second to turn that around, and it very well could have not turned around."
Pegula advanced to face Sorana Cirstea, the 36-year-old from Romania who is contemplating retirement after this season. She will have at least one more Grand Slam match after the No. 16 seed beat No. 19 Jasmine Paolini 6-3, 6-3.
Townsend reached the round of 16 for the second straight year by knocking off No. 15 seed Diana Shnaider 6-2, 6-7 (3), 6-3 and seemed eager for the matchup with Sabalenka.
"I'm so excited. I feel like I thrive in these moments," the American said. "I'm built for these moments and so now is my time, I'm ready to take it. I'm ready to go."
Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova and Marta Kostyuk, the No. 11 seed, advanced, setting up a rematch of their semifinal match at the All England Club. No. 7 seed Karolina Muchova, who lost in that final, was ousted by No. 26 Emma Navarro.
Navarro, a former NCAA singles champion at Virginia, is one of two former women's college tennis players in contention, along with Yuliia Starodubtseva (Old Dominion).
ESPN Research and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
