Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka is the 2024 US Open women’s singles champion, defeating American Jessie Pegula 7-5, 7-5. This is Sabalenka’s third career Grand Slam title and her second this year.
After her victory, Sabalenka told the sold-out crowd of 23,000 under the roof in Arthur Ashe Stadium, “I never say this, but, really, I’m super proud of myself.”
From the beginning of the match, you could hear the rain on the roof, which made the pro-Pegula crowd seem even louder cheering for the American when she timed a return perfectly that landed just inside the baseline at Sabalenka’s feet to break for 2-1.
But Sabalenka broke right back with her relentless power, screaming “Let’s go” after a crushing forehand crosscourt winner.
Sabalenka then won the next four games, hitting the ball so hard that there wasn’t much that Pegula could do.
The American, serving well, held for 3-5 with a terrific volley winner. After a slew of errors from Sabalenka, and feeding off the energy of the fans, Pegula fought back to 5-all.
AFP –JIJI
In a thrilling 14-point game with four deuces and terrific ball striking by both players—a wicked backhand crosscourt by Sabalenka, a piercing backhand down the line by Pegula—Sabalenka held for 6-5.
In another thrilling game, it took five break points for Sabalenka to take the set. It felt like the American had many chances to turn things around, but she was playing too much defense.
In the second set, Sabalenka broke in the second game, then held at love for a 3-0 lead.
Again, Pegula fought back, playing with more variety—slicing one, then speeding one up—and won five games in a row for a 5-3 lead.
Sabalenka, though, held and stopped that run for 4-5 and broke for 5-all. She then held at 15 and broke at 30 to win the match.
In her press conference, Sabalenka said: “I mean, that was really incredible tennis from her. I had my opportunities, and at 3-1, I was serving, and then I had a break point and 3-love, but, you know, she came up with winners, with really aggressive tennis.
Just it felt like one second, and it’s 3-5, and I’m serving, I was, like, Oh, wow that’s crazy level from her.
“In that moment, I just told myself, okay, just try to hold your serve. I was getting ready for the third set.
“At least, like, you’ll be confident on your serve in the third set, and then I hold my serve. And I put so much pressure on her on that serving game at 5-4, and I’m really glad I was able to broke her back.”
Sabalenka is now just the fifth woman—after Graf, Seles, Hingis, and Kerber—to win both the Australian Open and the US Open in the same year.
