Aryna Sabalenka wins first US Open title by defeating Jessica Pegula

There was no shame for Jessica Pegula. She played a fantastic US Open and reached a Grand Slam final for the first time in her career. She also refuses to stop fighting even when she is down. That is an admirable trait for any athlete and makes them tougher to beat. But on Saturday at the US Open, Aryna Sabalenka was better.

Sabalenka dropped one set at the US Open, and even that seemed almost by accident. Otherwise, she dismantled and overpowered everyone that stood in her way. That included finishing the tournament by playing two feisty Americans, Emma Navarro and Pegula. Pegula even got a break off Sabalenka in the first set, but the Belarusian still took the lead 7-5.

To be fair, the second set got weird. Sabalenka jumped out to a 3-0 lead and then somehow found herself 3-5 down. Pegula's form got better, sure, and maybe Sabalenka began to have memories of the 2023 final when she was at times in a position to win. Plus, closing out any kind of Grand Slam is not easy.

Aryna Sabalenka defeats Jessica Pegula in the 2024 US Open final

But just as Pegula reeled off a bunch of games in a row, Sabalenka was able to get a break and make the match 5-4 and then hold, followed by another break. The Belarusian then closed out the set, the match, and the tournament 7-5 7-5 by holding serve again.

With the victory, Sabalenka bookended her year with major wins. She won the Australian Open for the second straight year to begin 2024, struggled with form and some personal issues, but bounced back to play extremely well in August, including a victory at the Cincinnati Open (in which she beat Pegula in the final), and then winning the US Open.

Oddly, Jannik Sinner will try to accomplish the same feat on Sunday in the men's final. The Italian won the Australian Open and will try to get his second Grand Slam title in New York.

Sabalenka won't get a rankings boost from her victory as WTA No. 1 Iga Swiatek is so far ahead in points, but there is little doubt that the Belarusian is the queen of hard-court tennis.

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