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Jessica Pegula had never previously made it beyond the quarter-finals at a Grand Slam prior to this campaign at the US Open.

The 30-year-old could be excused for feeling her time would not come but she gets her moment in the spotlight tonight.

Victory at the Canadian Open in August suggested she was building momentum for Flushing Meadows and a run to the final of the Cincinnati Open provided further warning that she was in form.

"It's amazing. It's a childhood dream. It's what I wanted when I was a kid," Pegula said.

"It would mean the world to me to win. If you would have told me at the beginning of the year I'd be in the finals of the US Open, I would have laughed so hard."

Laura Robson
Former British number one on Sky Sports

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Aryna Sabalenka has played well in every match and it still feels like the numbers can improve on her serve, she usually wins a few more points off her first serve than what we have seen this tournament.

But, there's nothing really to pick at in her game. It's all going smoothly and she is looking so relaxed. She was in the players lounge having some lunch, laughing, joking and playing a few games and it seems easy at the moment for Sabalenka.

We're hearing that the roof is set to be closed at Arthur Ashe stadium for tonight's final.

Play is due to start at 16:00 Eastern Time (21:00 BST) and the forecast isn't looking great.

K, Edinburgh

Feliciano Lopez
Former Wimbledon and US Open quarter-finalist on Sky Sports

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It's Jessica Pegula's first time playing a Grand Slam final, the key for her is the beginning of the match.

If she can overcome the initial moments and the initial nerves to level the match in the beginning.

If everything goes very easy for Aryna Sabalenka in the beginning of the match then it will be difficult for Pegula.

If she is able to keep the match a little bit tight in the beginning, she might have a chance. As soon as you see the score tied, you think that you have a chance.

For the first time in a Grand Slam final and to see Sabalenka taking the lead, I don't think it's going to be a good sign for Pegula.

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Aryna Sabalenka is no stranger to facing a noisy crowd at the US Open and she's set to walk into the lion's den again tonight.

The Belarusian lost 2-6 6-3 6-2 against American Coco Gauff in last year's showpiece and later admitted the noise was so loud it "blocked my ears".

Sabalenka got a taste of facing a home favourite just two days ago when she sealed a pretty routine straight set victory against Emma Navarro to silence the Arthur Ashe crowd.

Tonight, Jessica Pegula will not just carrying American support but she is a New Yorker and will have a firm backing at Flushing Meadows.

"I had really tough lessons here in the past," Sabalenka, 26, said.

"I wasn't ready. Then I got emotional. Then I just couldn't handle the crowd.

"Every time I'm hoping that one day I'll be able to hold that beautiful trophy."

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Speaking of NFL franchise the Buffalo Bills, some of the players have been wishing Jessica Pegula good luck for tonight's final.

The Bills get their 2024-25 campaign up and running tomorrow against the Arizona Cardinals, so there is no excuse for the players not to be tuned in tonight.

Click here to see the video posted to the Bills' X account., external

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Jessica Pegula is the daughter of Buffalo Bills' owner Terry and has been poking fun at misconceptions about her lifestyle during the past two weeks at the US Open, saying people expect her to have a butler because of her family's wealth.

According to Forbes magazine, her father Terry, an oil and gas tycoon, is worth $7.7bn (£5.9bn), making him the 371st richest person in the world.

That figure puts even the $3.6m (£2.7m) prize money for the Flushing Meadows champion - the biggest cash prize in tennis - in the shade.

Pegula has taken the subway to Flushing Meadows most days, documenting it on Instagram, and has spoken of the support she received from her parents.

"The most annoying thing is that people think I have a butler," the 30-year-old American said on Monday.

"That I get chauffeured around. That I have a private limo. That I fly on a private jet everywhere.

"I am definitely not like that."

We'd love to hear your thoughts on how this final will play out as we build-up to the start of play at around 21:00 BST.

How important will the home crowd be for underdog Jessica Pegula?

Is Aryna Sabalenka just too good?

Get in touch using the details above.

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Away from Arthur Ashe and the women's final, there was British success in the girls' draw earlier.

Mika Stojsavljevic became the first Briton in 15 years to win the US Open girls' title as she beat Wakana Sonobe in New York.

The 15-year-old cruised to a 6-4 6-4 victory over Japan's Sonobe.

It is a first Grand Slam title for the junior, with her previous best run coming in 2023 when she reached the quarter-finals at Wimbledon.

She is the first British girl since Heather Watson in 2009 to win the title at Flushing Meadows.

Stojsavljevic saw off third seed American Iva Jovic, who made it to the second round of the main women's draw, in Friday's semi-final.

She began playing tennis around the age of five at Ealing Lawn Tennis Club and cites five-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova as her tennis idol.

In April, Stojsavljevic beat two-time Wimbledon quarter-finalist Tamira Paszek on her way to winning the W35 Nottingham ITF singles title.

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Aryna Sabalenka is on a 12-match winning streak, including victory against Jessica Pegula in the final of the Cincinnati Open.

The Belarusian's last defeat came in the third round of the Canadian Open at the hands of American Amanda Anisimova, who lost against Pegula later in that competition.

Pegula, meanwhile, has won 15 of her past 16 matches, including lifting the Canadian Open last month.

Sabalenka leads the head-to-head between the pair 5-2, but Pegula's two wins have both come on hard courts, including in windy conditions at the WTA Finals last year.

Should she win, Sabalenka would claim a third Grand Slam title, and become just the fourth player in the past 10 years to win multiple majors in a season, after Serena Williams, Angelique Kerber and Iga Swiatek.

Pegula, meanwhile, would be the 10th American woman to win the US Open and the first Asian American woman to win a major singles title in the Open era.

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It's just 19 days since Aryna Sabalenka beat Jessica Pegula in the final of the Cincinnati Open.

The pair meet again tonight with the US Open title on the line.

Sabalenka has experience on her side, winning two Grand Slam titles, and will be keen to right the wrongs of 2023 when she lost against American Coco Gauff in the US Open final.

For Pegula, a first-ever Grand Slam final appearance awaits but she has the benefit of a home crowd willing her on to glory.

Will it be a repeat of Cincinnati? Or can Pegula get her revenge?