Aryna Sabalenka has triumphed as the women’s singles champion at the US Open, defeating American Jessica Pegula with a score of 7-5, 7-5.
The Belarusian athlete secures her inaugural title at Flushing Meadows, having previously won two Grand Slam titles at the Australian Open.
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Upon confirming her victory, Sabalenka rushed to embrace her coaching team and loved ones inside Arthur Ashe Stadium, showcasing her emotional celebration.
With this win, Sabalenka, who lost in last year’s final to Coco Gauff, secures a substantial $3.6 million prize, an increase of $600,000 from last year’s winners’ award.
Pegula, on the other hand, will take home $1.8 million for her runner-up finish.
The final, which took place on Saturday evening, was attended by a high-profile crowd including F1 legend Lewis Hamilton and Olympic champion Noah Lyles, who sat side by side in the stands.
Other notable attendees included NBA superstar Steph Curry, American tennis icons Billie Jean King, Andy Roddick, and Tracy Austin, as well as US Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour and Hollywood actress Rebel Wilson.
Sadly, Pegula’s defeat was heartbreaking, as she had hoped to win her first Grand Slam title in front of her home crowd in New York.
Despite receiving strong support from the crowd at Arthur Ashe, Pegula couldn’t overcome Sabalenka’s powerful game, even having served for the second set.
Nevertheless, it was a remarkable tournament for the 30-year-old, whose wealthy father owns the NFL team Buffalo Bills, as she continues to make strides on the biggest stage.
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Sabalenka initially seemed poised for a straightforward victory, taking four out of five games to serve for the first set at 5-3.
However, things became tense as her previous year’s finals experience may have seeped into her thoughts.
Pegula fought back, leveling the score at 5-5 and even earning a break point. Still, Sabalenka managed to escape the precarious situation.
Sabalenka then applied pressure to Pegula’s serve, finally breaking through and clinching the first set after five attempts.
This victory appeared to relieve some of the pressure, as Sabalenka quickly jumped to a 3-0 lead in the second set, seemingly on the brink of victory.
However, another stumble occurred as Pegula won five consecutive games, putting her in the position to serve for a set equalizer.
Just as Sabalenka was likely experiencing anxiety about a repeat of last year’s final, she regained control.
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A critical break at 5-4 kept her from being forced into a deciding set, followed by an even more significant hold, putting her just one game away from victory.
Pegula then served to stay in the match, but Sabalenka was determined and clinched the match in straight sets.
https://talksport.com/sport/2038574/aryna-sabalenka-tears-us-open-prize-money-jessica-pegula/
