Arthur Ashe Stadium had plenty of star power Thursday night as Michelle Obama joined a packed celebrity crowd for a US Open semifinal that ended with Aryna Sabalenka moving one victory away from tennis history.
The former first lady was among the high-profile spectators watching Sabalenka take on American Jessica Pegula on Day 12 of the tournament. PEOPLE reported that Obama attended alongside television personalities Hoda Kotb, Al Roker and Deborah Roberts, while Robin Roberts, Wanda Sykes, Rami Malek and Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles were also spotted around the women’s semifinals.
Obama received a warm response from the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd during the evening, adding a celebrity moment to a night dominated by high-stakes tennis.
On court, Sabalenka gave the New York crowd little opportunity to influence the outcome. The defending champion defeated Pegula 7-5, 6-2, producing 29 winners and seven aces as she advanced to her fourth consecutive US Open final.
Reuters reported that the Belarusian had been particularly sharp after a tense opening set, eventually pulling away from the American in the second.
The victory keeps Sabalenka on course for an unusual achievement. She is attempting to become the first woman since Serena Williams to win three consecutive US Open singles titles.
Williams completed her own three-peat from 2012 through 2014, while Chris Evert also accomplished the feat earlier in the Open Era.
Pegula, who had reached the US Open semifinals for the third consecutive year, could not match Sabalenka’s power when the match tightened. Sabalenka never lost her serve and converted the opportunities that came late in the first set.
The other semifinal produced another major storyline. Elena Rybakina defeated Coco Gauff 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, earning her first US Open final appearance and setting up a championship clash with Sabalenka.
That means Saturday’s final will feature two players with plenty at stake. Sabalenka is chasing another title in New York, while Rybakina will enter the match as the incoming world No. 1.
For the spectators, the night offered a fitting blend of tennis and celebrity spectacle, with Obama among the recognizable faces watching one of the tournament’s biggest evenings unfold.
