Aryna Sabalenka survived another US Open final meltdown to beat Jessica Pegula and claim her third Grand Slam title.
The double Australian Open champion cracked under the weight of home support as she lost to Coco Gauff in last year’s final. And this time the Belarus world No.2 hit the court in frustration before winning the hour-long first set and then lost five consecutive games in the rollercoaster second set.
But Sabalenka, who has a tiger tattoo on her left forearm, fought like a lion to win the last four games. And she triumphed 7-6 7-5 under the Arthur Ashe Stadium roof and this time broke American hearts before bursting into tears.
She claimed the £2.7m first prize by beating two daughters of billionaires in her last two matches – Emma Navarro in the semis and Pegula in the final – despite the NFL-style noise of the US fans. The No.6 seed’s family own the Buffalo Bills.
The emotional Belarusian collapsed on the court after taking her second match point when Pegula sent a forehand long. The Australian Open champion becomes only the fifth woman in the Open Era to win both hardcourt Grand Slams titles in the same hearn after Monica Seles (1991,92), Steffi Graf (1988,89), Angelique Kerber (2016) and Martina Hingis (1997).
World No.1 Iga Swiatek is the undisputed best clay-court player on the planet after winning the last three French Open titles. Pegula beat the Pole here in the quarter-finals but world No.2 Sabalenka showed she is the best player on cement. Fourteen of her 16 titles have come on hardcourts, including beating Pegula in the Cincinnati final.
After missing Wimbledon and the Olympics, she has won 18 out her 19 Grand Slam matches this year.
The final was played in front of a star-studded crowd including Lewis Hamilton, Steph Curry, Noah Lyles, Rebel Wilson, Courtney Cox, Claire Danes and Tina Fey. But Sabalenka stole the show down on the court.
The finalist exchanged early breaks before Sabalenka took a 4-2 lead. But serving for the set at 5-3, Sabalenka saved a first break point after a double fault. But facing a second, her first serve into the net was greeted with huge applause – and a standing ovation followed her forehand flying over the baseline.
But the noise was to get even noisier in the final two games of the hour-long set. At 5-5 30-30, Sabalenka banged her racquet into the court in frustration after a double fault gifted another break point.
She finally held after a 14-point game – and the final game of the set needed another 14 points before Sabalenka took her fifth set point when Pegula could not retrieve a short backhand slice.
Pegula served a double fault on break point to go 0-2 down. But from 0-3 down, she won the next five games and served for the set at 5-3, Sabalenka took her third break point with forehand winner down the line before sealing the in in one hour and 53 minutes.
