The Belarusian won her first US Open after beating local Jessica Pegula in a tight final.
Aryna Sabalenka finally on the roof of New York. The Belarusian won the US Open tennis tournament for the first time by dominating American Jessica Pegula 7-5, 7-5, on Saturday in the final in New York. Beaten last year in the final by Coco Gauff, the world number 2 seized a third Grand Slam title after her successes at the Australian Open in January 2023 and 2024. She thus becomes the first player to win the two Majors played on hard courts in the same season since the German Angelique Kerber in 2016.
On an Arthur Ashe court with a closed roof to counter the heavy rain that hit New York, the Belarusian first managed to get out of a high-tension first set, which saw both players take turns dominating and at times bang their rackets on the ground in frustration.
Sabalenka mastered the pressure
Sabalenka quickly lost her serve (2-1 Pegula) before breaking back in the process (2-2) and then flying away 5-2 by playing the lines on powerful shots. The Belarusian then committed too many unforced errors (23 for the first set alone, 34 in total), allowing her opponent to come back to 5-5. At 6-5 for Sabalenka, Pegula saved four set points on her serve before cracking on an opponent’s drop shot. In the same vein, the second set saw several reversals of fortune.
Also readUS Open: “My goal has always been to make our family name part of tennis history”, mission accomplished for Sabalenka
Sabalenka led 3-0 at first and seemed to be heading towards the title by getting a break point, before Pegula rebelled. The American then found her form, distributing the exchange perfectly, enough to score five consecutive games by taking advantage of Sabalenka’s errors to lead 5-3.
Disturbed by the powerful support of the American public for Coco Gauff last year, Sabalenka seemed to better control the hubbub of the Arthur-Ashe this time in favor of a new local player. Jessica Pegula, for the first time in the final of a Major at 30 years old, nevertheless shone at Flushing Meadows, notably eliminating the Polish world number one Iga Swiatek in the quarterfinals. Her final will propel her to third in the world on Monday, enough to match her best ranking.
