For the second consecutive year at the US Open, Aryna Sabalenka from Belarus clinched her first championship by defeating American Jessica Pegula in straight sets, 7-5, 7-5, on Saturday.
The No. 2 seed Sabalenka, who had dazzled with her serve and groundstrokes in her semifinal win over Emma Navarro, didn’t rely as heavily on power against No. 6 Pegula. Instead, her composed shotmaking and solid stroke play effectively countered Pegula’s impressive defensive skills.
Sabalenka initially struggled to finish off Pegula in the first set but managed to secure it 7-5. She then raced to a 3-0 lead in the second set, seemingly on track for a smooth finish.
However, Pegula’s defense kept her in the match, and despite some frustration on her part — including complaints about her rackets feeling “dead,” likely due to the closed roof — Pegula managed to break Sabalenka’s serve and level the score at 3-3.
The match took a dramatic turn as Pegula won five games in a row, putting herself in a strong position. Yet, Sabalenka delivered a remarkable no-look, cross-court backhand that helped her break back and tie the set at 5-5.
She regained her confidence and powered through to a 6-5 lead with a strong serve and forehand.
In the final game, Sabalenka sealed her victory by breaking Pegula’s serve with two powerful forehands, culminating in a match-winning point. Pegula’s second return went long, handing Sabalenka the title.
“I wish she would have at least let me get one set,” Pegula remarked afterward. “We had a tough match in Cincinnati a few weeks ago [Sabalenka won 6-3, 7-5] and she’s one of the best in the world. She’s super powerful and isn’t going to give you anything, she can take the racquet out of your hand.”
With this triumph, Sabalenka secures her third Grand Slam title, adding to her two Australian Open victories.
She is the first woman since Angelique Kerber in 2016 to win both the Australian Open and US Open in the same year.
Additionally, Sabalenka becomes the fifth player to win two hard court titles in a single season, joining the ranks of Steffi Graf, Monica Seles, Martina Hingis, and Kerber.
Given her success on hard courts, Sabalenka may continue to add to her impressive collection of trophies in the future.
