A year ago, Sabalenka blew a lead against Gauff in the US Open finals. She didn't let that happen again as she was extremely determined to prove a poi
A year ago, Sabalenka blew a lead against Gauff in the US Open finals. She didn’t let that happen again as she was extremely determined to prove a point.
Aryna Sabalenka, 26, defeated Jessica Pegula 7-5, 7-5 in a frisky U.S. Open women’s final on Saturday to win her first championship at Flushing Meadows and third Grand Slam title of her career.
Sabalenka, adds this trophy to the two she earned at the Australian Open each of the past two seasons, also on hard courts.
The Belarusian super star met New Yorker, Jessica Peguila, 30, with the home crowd cheering for Jessica.
The Belarusian’s determination helped her achieved a wonderful feat on Saturday night after winning two straight sets.
After winning five straight games to take the first set and lead 3-0 in the second, the second-seeded Sabalenka looked to be in complete control. However, the No. 6 Pegula added some intrigue to the match. After Pegula missed a basket in the following game, she threw a ball off the video wall behind the baseline to vent her annoyance and knock over a small square panel.
Perhaps the American felt less tense after that, because Pegula used her own five-game run to assert herself. Nevertheless, Pegula allowed Sabalenka to level the second set with a break when she served at 5-4 with an opportunity to force a third.
That was the beginning of Sabalenka’s three-game, match-ending run, during which she collapsed to the court, dropped her racket, and lay on her back with both arms covering her face.
Sabalenka left Flushing Meadows the happiest queen in New York on Saturday night.
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