Aryna Sabalenka earned her first US Open title after a 7-5, 7-5 win over American Jessica Pegula on Saturday. This is her third Grand Slam title, all three on hardcourt surfaces as she has won back-to-back Australian Open trophies.
Sabalenka had made the semifinals at Flushing Meadows two consecutive years and was the runner-up last year, but vowed to do better this time around. Saturday was a rematch of the Cincinnati Open final, which Sabalenka also won in straight sets. She now leads the all-time series against Pegula 6-2.
Sabalenka found momentum early in the match and took a 5-2 lead in the first set. Her incredible power and aggressive style of play make it tough for opponents, but it sometimes also gets her in trouble. In the first set, she had 25 winners but also 23 unforced errors. It nearly cost her as well as Pegula broke serve to get back to even at 5-5 before getting broken just ahead of a potential tiebreak.
"I'm speechless right now because as you said, so many times I thought I was so close to get the US Open title. It was always a dream of mine," Sabalenka said. "And finally I get this beautiful trophy. It means a lot it was a very difficult couple of weeks.
"Talking about Jessica, I know how tough it was in the finals, but you are showing some amazing tennis and I'm more than sure that you are going to get one. I mean, not one, maybe more, but let's start from one Grand Slam. Congratulations on a great summer. You are an amazing player. That second set, I was just praying there. I was literally standing there and playing for getting this win."
Sabalenka won the first three games of the second set with ease, and this was a wakeup call for Pegula. The American won the next five to put herself back in it. Sabalenka wasn't looking as powerful as she did in the first set, but she stopped Pegula's momentum with a service hold. Pegula served for the second set at 5-4 but Sabalenka scored the break, held once more and won the title with one final break of serve.
Both seemed to play better from behind and kept trading the momentum, but Sabalenka was too close to the trophy to let this one slip out of her hands.
Sabalenka is now the 53rd women's player with at least three major titles, and she is just behind Iga Swiatek and Naomi Osaka amongst active players.
Despite the loss, this was an incredible run for Pegula. She entered this tournament 0-6 record in major quarterfinals but finally broke through. She has dealt with multiple injuries through her career, but at 30 years old she got the furthest she ever has and gave Sabalenka the toughest matches she had seen in this tournament.
"She has been playing some amazing hardcourt tennis, if not the best hardcourt player in the world. I knew it would be challenging and tough," Pegula said. "She is super powerful, goes for her shots. She is definitely not going to give you anything. She can take the racket out of your hands a lot. I was happy I was able to fight back and give myself a chance but in the end it wasn't enough. I'm glad I was able to say I gave myself opportunities."
