World number two Aryna Sabalenka reached a second successive US Open final on Thursday when she defeated a battling Emma Navarro to move one win away from her third Grand Slam title. Double Australian Open champion Sabalenka triumphed over the 13th-seeded American 6-3, 7-6 (7/2) and will face either Jessica Pegula of the United States or the Czech Republic’s Karolina Muchova in Saturday’s final. Navarro, playing in her first semi-final at the majors, went down fighting, however, when she clawed her way back from 3-5 down in the second set to take her chances in a tiebreak. Sabalenka sent down 34 winners to the 13 of the 23-year-old American in the tie. “Guys, now you’re cheering for me. Wow. It’s a bit too late,” Sabalenka told the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd. “I don’t really care who I face in the final because tonight I heard the crowd cheer for my opponent.” She added: “I was like ‘Aryna stay focussed — not this time, guys.” The Florida-based Belarusian, runner-up to Coco Gauff in New York last year, called on her raw power to secure the first set, nullifying Navarro’s smart use of the angles.