Aryna Sabalenka defeated American Jessica Pegula in straight sets (7-5, 7-5) to win the U.S. Open championship in New York City on Saturday, earning her third career Grand Slam singles trophy.
In the last 20 months, the 26-year-old Sabalenka has emerged victorious in three significant competitions, having won the Australian Open in 2023 and again this year.
Sabalenka’s turbulent and emotionally taxing 2024 season came to a happy conclusion in Flushing when she lifted the Tiffany-designed cup, which had been given to her by legendary competitor and fellow champion Billy Jean King.
“Finally, I got this beautiful trophy,” she remarked.
After the game, Sabalenka informed analyst and broadcaster Mary Joe Fernández that her success was a result of her never giving up.
“If you’re really working hard and you’re sacrificing everything for your dream, you’re going to get it one day,” Sabalenka added. “I’m super proud of myself.”
Pegula was an unexpected finalist, but she wasn’t completely disappointed by her time at Arthur Ashe Stadium. “I’m grateful to be able to be standing here in my first Grand Slam final,” she said in an expression of appreciation following the match.
Konstantin Koltsov, a former NHL player and Sabalenka’s fiancé, took his own life two months after she won her second straight Australian Open championship. He passed away in the vicinity of Miami.
Koltsov was named Sabalenka’s lover as soon as he passed away, although the tennis star subsequently disclosed the two had discreetly split up before his death.
Sabalenka’s withdrawals from the French Open, Berlin Ladies Open, and Wimbledon this year were partially due to illness and injury.
This year, Sabalenka—a native of Minsk, Belarus—performed without a nationality. In official records, everyone else’s name is accompanied by a flag of their home country, but Sabalenka’s remains blank since Minsk continues to back Russia’s invasion of neighboring Ukraine without warning.
With her victory on Saturday, world No. 2 Sabalenka denied Pegula the chance to capture her maiden Grand Slam championship.
The American did her best to keep up by playing faster than Sabalenka normally would, but Sabalenka overwhelmed her.
After trailing 3-0 at one point in the second set, Pegula was up 5-3, but Sabalenka persevered, exchanging break point victories and powerful ground strokes with the American.
From the analysts’ booth on ESPN, Chris Evert stated, “Every player plays better when they’re behind.”
Sabalenka quickly found herself up 6-5 thanks to a string of knockout serves, one of which was a 118 mph strike. She then won the second break point and second championship point of the final game, with Pegula serving, to secure the title.
The outcome may indicate that there was a chance for the seesaw final to go either way. Following the contest, Sabalenka gave her opponent credit for never consciously conceding an advantage.
“That’s some incredible tennis,” Sabalenka remarked to the American.
For the 30-year-old Pegula, whose family controls the Buffalo Bills football franchise and the Sabres hockey team, this was his first Grand Slam final. She had previously advanced to the Wimbledon (2023) quarterfinals, as well as the French (2022) and Australian Open (2021–2023).
About 48 hours later, Pegula defeated Czech opponent Karolina Muchova 1-6, 6-4, 6-2 in the semifinals to go to the title match.
Pegula’s father is oil tycoon Terry Pegula, 73, who Forbes lists as the 403rd wealthiest man in the world with an estimated net worth of $7.7 billion.
Pegula won over admirers in New York City despite her family’s enormous riches by insisting on riding the train from Manhattan to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens.
