Watch: Sabalenka Defeats Pegula in Marathon US Open Final to Claim Title

Aryna Sabalenka secured her third Grand Slam title with a gripping win over Jessica Pegula at the US Open on Saturday, adding this triumph to her consecutive Australian Open wins.

Ranked second in the world, Sabalenka managed to win both sets 7-5, 7-5, despite Pegula’s fierce comeback from a 0-3 deficit in the second set to take a 5-3 lead, only for Sabalenka to rally back and secure the win.

The 26-year-old from Belarus hit 40 winners during the match, making her the first woman since Angelique Kerber in 2016 to win the major hardcourt titles in a single season. Overwhelmed with emotion, Sabalenka expressed her elation, reflecting on her previous near-misses at the US Open where she was the runner-up last year and a semi-finalist in both 2022 and 2023. She emphasized the importance of perseverance and hard work in achieving one’s dreams.

Pegula, on the other hand, came into the tournament with strong performances, having won in Toronto and finished second to Sabalenka in Cincinnati. She was on an impressive run, winning 15 of her last 16 matches on the North American summer hard courts.

Despite the defeat, Pegula acknowledged Sabalenka’s prowess, lamenting that she couldn’t win at least one set against her, and praised Sabalenka’s overpowering style of play.

The match itself started off shaky for Sabalenka as errors gave Pegula an early break. However, Sabalenka quickly regained composure, breaking back immediately and then again for a 4-2 lead. The final attracted a crowd of 23,000, including celebrities like Noah Lyles, Steph Curry, and Lewis Hamilton, who witnessed Sabalenka’s relentless power and skill.

Pegula demonstrated resilience, especially after a challenging semi-final where she ousted world number one Iga Swiatek and then came from behind to defeat Karolina Muchova. In the final, she managed to recover from a 2-5 deficit in the first set to even it at 5-5, breaking Sabalenka when she was serving for the set. Nevertheless, Sabalenka eventually clinched the set after a lengthy twelfth game.

The second set mirrored the first with Pegula falling behind early but then rallying to a 5-3 lead. However, Sabalenka broke back in the tenth game as Pegula tried to force a deciding set. Ultimately, Sabalenka held her composure and sealed the victory when Pegula made a final, errant shot.