In the US Open women’s final for the second consecutive year, Aryna Sabalenka broke through with her first championship after defeating Jessica Pegula in straight sets on Saturday, 7-5, 7-5.
No. 2 seed Sabalenka didn’t overpower No. 6 Pegula with her serve and groundstrokes as she did in her semifinal victory over Emma Navarro on Thursday. But her poised shotmaking and strong stroke neutralized an excellent defensive effort from Pegula, who frustrated Sabalenka with her returns.
After winning a tough first set in which she showed some frustration at her inability to put Pegula away, Sabalenka looked as if she would cruise to a second set, taking a 3-0 lead.
Pegula at times looked as if she had no answer for Sabalenka’s powerful serve and forehand. Yet her defensive efforts kept her in the match, even if it didn’t show on the scoreboard.
However, Pegula then fought back. After holding serve to make it 3-1, she broke Sabalenka’s serve to close to 3-2. Suddenly, she was back in the set with the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd – made louder by a closed roof – decidedly on her side.
Though Pegula occasionally seemed rattled, complaining that her rackets “felt dead” – perhaps because of the conditions caused by the closed roof – and an inability to gain an advantage against Sabalenka’s power, she held serve to tie the set at 3-3. She then broke Sabalenka’s serve to go on top 4-3 and it appeared that the match might improbably head to a third set.
Pegula won five games in a row and looked like she took control of the match. Sabalenka then made the play of the match on a no-look, cross-court backhand hit with her back to the net and just out of Pegula’s reach to win the point.
Sabalenka followed by breaking Pegula’s serve to tie the set at 5-5. That seemingly helped her regain confidence and again assert herself with power on her serve and forehand to hold for a 6-5 lead.
Finally, Sabalenka broke Pegula’s serve with two scorching forehands that the American could barely get to. Pegula’s second return went long, giving Sabalenka match point, a 7-5 win and her first US Open championship.
“I wish she would have at least let me get one set,” Pegula joked afterwards. “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 the victory, the Belarusian earns her third Grand Slam title, adding to the two Australian Open championships she’s won. She is the first woman to win both the Australian Open and US Open in the same year since Angelique Kerber in 2016.
Sabalenka is also the fifth player to win two titles on hard court surfaces in the same season, joining Steffi Graf, Monica Seles, Martina Hingis and Kerber, according to the BBC. With the hard court suiting her game so well, Sabalenka could be adding plenty to her trophy case in the future.
Here is how Saturday’s action from the 2024 US Open women’s singles final played out on Yahoo Sports’ live blog of the match:
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ESPN showed footage of Aryna Sabalenka’s reaction to losing last year’s US Open final to Coco Gauff. Obviously, that upset her greatly and a racket took the brunt of her frustration.
Compare that to Saturday’s much different display of emotion.
“I’m speechless. So many times I was so close, and it’s always been a dream of mine,” Aryna Sabalenka said in her post-match interview. “In the second set I was praying. I remember those tough losses, never give up on your dream. I am super-proud of myself.”
Sabalenka breaks Pegula’s serve, hitting two scorching forehands that the American has difficulty catching up to. The second return went long and Sabalenka wins 7-5.
Once again, Sabalenka’s power on her serve and forehead put Pegula on the defensive. That may have been the pivotal game of this second set. But Pegula is now on serve.
Sabalenka appeared to be getting frustrated as this second set was getting away from her. But two straight break points has tied it at 5-5. Sabalenka now serving and will see if she fought off Pegula’s best effort.
With her back to the net, Sabalenka hits a backhand cross-court return that goes just out of Pegula’s reach. She didn’t even see where the shot was going. A wonderfully athletic play that allows her to hold.
On her second serve, Pegula double faults with a ball into the net and squats down, apparently believing she let one get away.
But Sabalenka isn’t hitting the ball with as much accuracy as before and the mistakes are mounting. Pegula takes a 5-3 lead.
After Sabalenka went up 3-0 and barreling toward a 4-0 lead, Pegula broke Sabalenka’s serve and has rallied to lead 4-3. She’s now going on serve.
This match could be going to a third set, which is a surprising turnaround.
Sabalenka hits her backhand return long and Pegula holds serve to tie the set at 3-3.
Can Sabalenka regain some momentum on serve? Pegula is very much back in this match.
ESPN mics caught Pegula between games telling coaches that her rackets “feel dead.” Perhaps the conditions with the closed roof are affecting Pegula’s feel and the way she’s able to play the ball off the hardcourt surface.
However, she has a chance to tie up this set while on serve.
After finally getting a game by holding serve, Jessica Pegula breaks Aryna Sabalenka and has now closed the set to 3-2 when it looked as if Sabalenka might cruise.
Pegula now on serve.
Pegula is starting to look like she might be in trouble. Sabalenka is gaining momentum on her way to a 3-0 lead. Pegula needs to hold serve here to stay in this match.
Pegula’s demeanor is beginning to look like someone who’s staying in this match, but can’t overcome Sabalenka’s serve despite her best defensive efforts.
She has a 2-0 lead and appears to be gaining confidence in this second set.
Sabalenka breaks Pegula’s serve to take the first set, 7-5.
Pegula fought back hard to get it to 5-5, but Sabalenka is settling in with excellent shotmaking. Pegula showed some frustration in tossing her racket, knowing she’s playing well but didn’t get the results.
Pegula had a chance to hold serve and had Sabalenka leaning the wrong way for a return. But she hit the ball into the net and knew she missed a point she should’ve gotten.
Pegula has fought her way back to 5-5, spurred on by the supportive crowd. Sabalenka has her fans too and she called for cheers at one point.
And Sabalenka holds with a nice backhand to win the point and go up 6-5.
After hitting a return into the net, Sabalenka pounds her racket against the court several times. The crowd responded to her frustration. But she’s still on serve at 5-5.
Big break by Pegula, slowing Sabalenka’s roll.
She closes to within 5-4 and takes over on serve.
Pegula isn’t overwhelmed by Sabalenka’s power like Emma Navarro seemed to be in the women’s semifinal. But Sabalenka is forcing her to frequently play defense against a powerful serve and return strokes.
Again, the crowd is showing big support for Pegula.
As could be expected, the crowd is on Pegula’s side, cheering the American on. That may be providing a boost, but Sabalenka holds serve and takes a 5-2 lead in the first set.
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