Aryna Sabalenka showcased her dominance on the court as she overpowered American star Jessica Pegula with a convincing 6-3, 7-5 victory to claim the Cincinnati Open title on Monday. Demonstrating a formidable serve and relentless aggression, the Belarusian sent a powerful message ahead of the upcoming U.S. Open.
The two-time Australian Open champion was in stellar form, dropping only nine points on her serve and delivering 10 aces. Despite experiencing some nerves late in the second set, Sabalenka maintained her composure to secure her sixth WTA 1000 title.
Pegula, who had been on a nine-match winning streak after defending her title in Toronto earlier this month, struggled to find her rhythm. Five double faults and difficulties with her serve hampered her performance, ultimately leading to the end of her unbeaten run.
The match turned in Sabalenka’s favor early on when she broke Pegula’s serve in the fourth game after the American netted a forehand. Capitalizing on this momentum, Sabalenka held her serve to love in the following game and closed out the first set with an unreturnable serve.
Continuing her aggressive play, Sabalenka secured another break at the start of the second set. However, a double fault and unforced errors in the tenth game gave Pegula a glimmer of hope with her lone break point. Sabalenka quickly rebounded by breaking back immediately, sealing her victory as Pegula faltered on match point.
Celebrating her win, Sabalenka expressed gratitude to the cheering crowd by blowing kisses. With this triumph, she is set to rise one spot to number two in the world rankings, adding momentum as she prepares for the year’s final Grand Slam in New York next week.
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Aryna Sabalenka overpowers Jessica Pegula to win Cincinnati Open
cgtn.com
