WJR News

Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, 26, clinched her first US Open title on Saturday, defeating American sixth seed Jessica Pegula, 30, with a 7-5, 7-5 victory. Sabalenka silenced the raucous Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd by breaking Pegula’s serve in the final game, securing her long-awaited triumph at Flushing Meadows.

After falling short in last year’s final, the second-seeded Sabalenka overcame a break deficit in both sets, ultimately collapsing to the court in celebration of her hard-fought win. Pegula, making her first appearance in a Grand Slam final, couldn’t withstand Sabalenka’s raw power, despite strong support from the New York crowd.

This victory marks Sabalenka’s third Grand Slam title, following her two Australian Open championships.

With heavy rain forcing the closure of the Arthur Ashe Stadium roof, both players exchanged early breaks in what became a stormy showdown. In a thrilling 11th game, Sabalenka held serve after a tense four-deuce battle and then mixed precision with power to break Pegula on her fifth set point in the 12th game.

Pegula, visibly frustrated by issues with her racket tension, struggled to match Sabalenka’s intensity early in the second set, falling 0-3. However, she mounted a fierce comeback, winning five straight games and igniting the crowd.

Sabalenka fought back, leveling the set with a forehand winner on break point in the 10th game. From there, she held serve and applied relentless pressure, breaking Pegula in the final game to seal the win.

Tears of joy flowed as Sabalenka celebrated her third Grand Slam title, high-fiving fans before rushing into the stands to share the moment with her team.