Sabalenka overcomes Pegula & nerves to win 1st US Open women's crown

 

The US Open has crowned a new women's singles champion. Aryna Sabalenka claimed the title by defeating Jessica Pegula in straight sets. The Belarusian tennis player, seeded second, won the final with a scoreline of 7-5, 7-5. This marks Sabalenka’s third Grand Slam victory.

Sabalenka had already claimed back-to-back Australian Open titles in 2023 and 2024, and now she has added the US Open to her collection. Despite a fiercely contested final, Pegula could not prevail. In her first Grand Slam final, the American player struggled to handle the pressure and eventually succumbed to Sabalenka's aggressive play. In the closing stages of the match, Pegula was unable to withstand the forceful tennis from Sabalenka, losing four consecutive games and failing to hold serve in two crucial moments.

Last year, Sabalenka had reached the final but couldn’t clinch the title, losing to Coco Gauff. This time, the second seed made no mistakes. Pegula had earlier defeated top seed Iga Świątek in the quarter-finals, boosting her confidence. However, she couldn’t manage the pressure of the final, as it became evident in her service game. Despite serving six aces, her first serve lacked consistency, which Sabalenka capitalized on.

A year ago, Sabalenka had left the court in frustration after smashing her racket following a tough loss in the final. This year, after winning the match, she lay on the ground, overcome with joy. With this victory, Sabalenka extended her unbeaten run on hard courts, winning 14 consecutive Grand Slam matches. The 26-year-old was visibly emotional and admitted, “I’m speechless at this moment. I’ve always dreamed of holding this beautiful trophy. I finally did it. I feel incredibly proud—something I don’t say often, but today I really do.”

Her excitement after winning her third Grand Slam was palpable. She didn’t try to hide her emotions, relishing every moment of her victory, just as she had fought for every point against the sixth-seeded Pegula. The American crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium naturally favored their compatriot Pegula, but Sabalenka managed to battle through both the pressure and the atmosphere. In a season filled with surprises, the final Grand Slam had its share of challenges, but Sabalenka overcame them in a match that lasted 1 hour and 53 minutes, further delaying Pegula’s hopes of becoming a Grand Slam champion.

At one point in the second set, Pegula led 5-3, and fans anticipated the match would go to a third set. But Sabalenka produced her best tennis when it mattered most, winning four consecutive games to seal the set, the match, and the championship. Before this, she appeared momentarily disoriented, losing her serve twice to Pegula and falling behind 3-5. However, Sabalenka did not allow Pegula to advance further, winning the set 7-5. The tone of the second set shifted multiple times as both players fought relentlessly.

In the first set, Sabalenka had also taken a commanding 5-2 lead by breaking Pegula's serve twice. However, Pegula capitalized on several unforced errors and double faults from Sabalenka, bringing the score to 5-6. Pegula could have pushed the first set to a tiebreaker if she had held her serve, but she faltered under pressure and lost the set.

Last year, Sabalenka had cited the noise from the crowd, cheering for Gauff, as a key factor in her defeat. She anticipated a similar atmosphere this year with Pegula, another American player, in the final, but she handled it successfully.