Belarusian tennis star Aryna Sabalenka clinched her first U.S. Open women’s singles title on Saturday, defeating American sixth seed Jessica Pegula with a score of 7-5, 7-5 at the iconic Arthur Ashe Stadium.
In a match filled with electrifying rallies and fierce competition, Sabalenka overcame the spirited home crowd’s support for Pegula. She broke Pegula’s serve in the final game of each set, showcasing her resilience and determination to secure victory.
Despite trailing by a break in both sets, the second-seeded Sabalenka displayed remarkable composure. A year after coming up short in the final, she fought back to claim her moment of triumph, dropping to the court in elation as her achievement sank in.
For 30-year-old Pegula, reaching her first major final was a significant milestone. However, she struggled to match Sabalenka’s raw power, despite the enthusiastic backing of the New York crowd.
The match unfolded under the closed roof of Arthur Ashe Stadium due to heavy rain, adding to the intensity of the stormy affair witnessed by a celebrity-packed audience.
Sabalenka held her nerve during crucial moments, particularly in the 11th game of the first set, which stretched to four deuces. She capitalized on her fifth set point in the 12th game to seize the opening set.
Pegula faced challenges with her equipment, expressing frustration over her racket strings, which seemed to hinder her performance. After Sabalenka surged to a 3-0 lead in the second set, Pegula mounted a remarkable comeback, winning five consecutive games and igniting the crowd.
However, Sabalenka leveled the set by hitting a forehand winner that clipped the line on break point in the 10th game. She then held serve and applied relentless pressure from the baseline to break Pegula in the final game, sealing her victory.
Tears of joy flowed as Sabalenka celebrated her third Grand Slam title, having previously won the Australian Open twice. She shared the ecstatic moment with her team, high-fiving fans as she ascended the stands.
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Aryna Sabalenka beats Jessica Pegula to win U.S. Open women's title
cgtn.com
