Fearless Sabalenka overcomes stubborn Pegula to win US Open
Sabalenka dominated from the baseline, striking 40 winners to overcome a gritty effort from Pegula
SIPA/Panoramic
Aryna Sabalenka is the new women’s US Open champion, with the Belarusian racing past America’s Jessica Pegula 7-5, 7-5 to win the title on Saturday afternoon in New York.
Sabalenka’s baseline aggression overwhelmed Pegula, and while the world No 2 did have a couple of shaky moments in both sets where her serve went missing and she sprayed errors, she ultimately self-corrected and closed out the match in straight sets.
The win is Sabalenka’s third Grand Slam title. She has now won 27 of her last 28 matches in hard-court majors, having claimed the last two Australian Opens and made the 2023 US Open final.
“I’m speechless right now, so many times I felt like I was so close to getting US Open title,” an emotional Sabalenka shared on-court in the trophy ceremony. “It’s always been a dream of mine, and now I get this beautiful trophy.
“I remember all those tough losses in the past year. Never give up on your dream, keep trying, keep working hard. If you’re really working hard and you never give up, you’re going to get it one day.
“I’m super proud of myself.”
Sabalenka also becomes the fifth player in Open Era to win the Australian Open and US Open in the same season, and extends her winning streak to 12 matches in a row on the WTA Tour.
First Set sees major momentum swings
Pegula got the crowd involved quickly with a 0-30 chance on Sabalenka’s serve in the opening game. While she couldn’t capitalise – the Belarusian hit four unreturnable serves in a row – another opportunity came in the third game. Errors from Sabalenka gave Pegula a look at two break points, and with enormous support from the Arthur Ashe faithful, she pounced on the first for a 2-1 lead in the women’s US Open final.
The American’s lead wouldn’t last long, however, as Sabalenka broke back in the very next game. This time it was Pegula’s turn to make a pair of errors, spraying consecutive ground strokes long to concede the game from deuce.
With the scores level at 2-2, Sabalenka survived a double fault in her next service game to consolidate the break. The world No 2 rode this momentum to a third break of serve in four games, with some brutal returning at Pegula’s toes gaining her a 4-2 lead.
Across the first six games, Sabalenka came to the net a lot more than her opponent, crushing anything short then rushing in behind to finish. It was the formula that saw Sabalenka win 11 matches in a row heading into the US Open final, and also found her great success against Pegula early in this match.
The American’s game plan, on the other hand, seemed to be to rely on Sabalenka making errors, which was not happening as the Australian Open champion raced out to a 5-2 lead. However, after Pegula held for the first time in three attempts, her opportunity came. A brace of unforced errors, plus a double fault, gave her a second break of Sabalenka’s serve, putting the first set back on serve.
The errors kept coming in the 10th game, with Sabalenka’s backhand in particular leaking points. Pegula raced out to a 40-0 lead, and while Sabalenka did find her range and make things a little less comfortable at 40-30, the sixth seed held to level the opener at 5-5.
When Sabalenka hit yet another double fault to give Pegula break point for 6-5, it was clear that the Belarusian was getting flustered by the home support for her opponent. Racquet smashes, sarcastic waves at the crowd and swatted away balls indicated all was not well with the Belarusian.
Having served so well across the past month, Sabalenka couldn’t buy a first serve, and had made four double faults already. In true champion style, however, she found a way to hold, forcing Pegula to serve to stay in the match.
The pressure of Sabalenka’s relentless ground strokes gained her two set points, and while her first two opportunities were wasted on balls hit long, she quickly earnt more. More errors came as Sabalenka continued to go after her shots, with the game quickly becoming an epic.
On her fifth set point – which she gained thanks to Pegula’s first double fault of the match – Sabalenka finally broke through, claiming the opening set 7-5 in exactly one hour.
Pegula’s serve fails in crucial moments
Sabalenka’s continued baseline aggression earned her an early advantage in the second set. The writing appeared on the wall for the home favourite as Sabalenka held serve easily and broke for a 3-0 lead. This time, it was Pegula’s racquet making the errors, with a second double fault and a raft of mistakes coming across the opening three games.
A saved break point limited the damage for Pegula in the fourth game, with the American getting on the board for the first time in the second set at 3-1. As she did in the first set, Sabalenka went through a patch of inconsistency, giving the American a look at two break points in the next game, the second of which she converted.
Clever use of the dropshot saw Pegula hold to level the second set at 3-3. In the seventh game, Pegula continued mixing up her shots, winning a crucial net point to gain a break point, which she converted for a 4-3 lead – her first lead of the match.
Suddenly, from 3-0 and break point down, Pegula found herself 5-3 up with Sabalenka serving to stay in the set. Again, the world No 2 looked agitated, as Pegula’s creativity saw her lead evaporate.
Sabalenka stymied the bleeding and won her first game in six to make it 5-4. This set up the perhaps the biggest service game of Pegula’s career, with the 30-year-old serving to send the US Open final to a deciding set.
As in the opener, however, Sabalenka’s dip was only temporary. She quickly smothered Pegula in the first three points, earning triple break point to get the second set back on serve – the last of which she converted.
An impressive service game saw Sabalenka re-establish her lead at 6-5, with Pegula now serving to stay in the set. Again, her serve failed her in the most important of moments. With two championship points at 15-40, Sabalenka converted her second to win the US Open.
