Aryna Sabalenka would not be denied hoisting the US Open championship trophy this year.
Sabalenka, the world No. 2 from Belarus, defeated American Jessica Pegula 7-5, 7-5 at Arthur Ashe Stadium to win the US Open for the first time.
This is Sabalenka’s third career grand slam singles title, having won the Australian Open for the second consecutive year back in January. She’s the first woman to sweep the hard court grand slams since Angelique Kerber in 2016.
After winning championship point, Sabalenka fell to the court, overcome with emotion. She went on to thank the crowd for their support.
“You were cheering for me on those good moments,” Sabalenka said. “Of course I expected you to cheer for Jessica. I mean, that wouldn’t be normal if you would cheer for me, you know?”
This was the second year in a row Sabalenka reached the US Open final. A year ago, she lost to Coco Gauff, and the New York crowd was not on the Belarusian’s side, loudly pulling for the American.
“So many times I was so close to get a US Open title,” Sabalenka said, who also had heartbreaking losses in 2021 and 2022 in the semifinals. “It’s always been a dream of mine. Finally, I got this beautiful trophy.”
Sabalenka admitted the crowd affected her in that 2023 final – and she had resolved that wouldn’t happen to her again.
“I would say that this year, I felt so much love from the crowd,” Sabalenka told CNN. “Even though I was facing Americans, they still were supporting, cheering for me a little bit.
“I felt like last year there was kind of like close to zero on my side, and this year I felt a lot of support, even in the finals. I’m just super happy to feel so much love in New York.”
Sabalenka reflected on what her success meant to her. “Well, after I lost my father, it’s always been my goal to put our family name in the history of tennis,” she said.
“Every time I see my name on that trophy, I’m so proud of myself, I’m proud of my family that they never gave up on my dream and that they were doing everything they could to keep me going.”
Sabalenka, 26, has now won 12 consecutive matches and improves her head-to-head record against Pegula to 6-2.
While the scoreline was straight sets, it wasn’t exactly straightforward.
Sabalenka led by a set and 3-0, but Pegula went on to win the next five games to give the American a 5-3 second-set lead.
Sabalenka would not give Pegula a chance to force a third set, however, winning the next four games to close out the match.
Sabalenka was asked how she was going to celebrate with her team. “A lot of drinks,” she said to CNN. “I need to feel this relief. I hope we’re going to have a lot of fun with my team.”
Pegula, meanwhile, had made a breakthrough at this year’s US Open. Previously, the 30-year-old’s best result at a major was reaching the quarterfinals, where she had been 0-6 at that stage. With her result in New York, she will rise from No. 6 to No. 3 in the world, matching her career-high ranking.
Pegula had missed a portion of the schedule earlier this season, including the French Open, because of injury. But during the North American hard court swing this summer, Pegula found her stride, going 15-2.
Those two losses were to Sabalenka: in the Cincinnati Open final last month and Saturday in her first grand slam singles final.
“It’s been an incredible month for me, really,” Pegula said. “I had a rough start to the year but was really able to turn it around. To be able to be standing here in my first grand slam final, and then coming off such a hot summer, I didn’t expect it. I’m just really grateful for the last few weeks of tennis and some incredible matches I’ve been able to put together.”
Pegula, who is a Buffalo native, is the daughter of Terry and Kim Pegula, owners of the NFL’s Buffalo Bills and NHL’s Buffalo Sabres. She was introduced to tennis by her family at age 7, and she recently said getting to the US Open final was “a childhood dream.”
When Pegula entered the court at Arthur Ashe Stadium for the final, she notably removed her headphones, appearing to soak in the crowd noise after she had been introduced.
