Aryna Sabalenka triumphed over Jessica Pegula 7-5, 7-5 in a thrilling U.S. Open women’s final on Saturday, securing her first championship at Flushing Meadows and her third Grand Slam title overall.
The 26-year-old Belarusian adds this victory to her two previous Grand Slam titles, both won at the Australian Open on hard courts in the past two seasons. This win was especially sweet for Sabalenka, who left Arthur Ashe Stadium in high spirits after finishing as runner-up to Coco Gauff at the 2023 U.S. Open.
Pegula, a New York native and first-time participant in a major final, is the daughter of the owners of the NFL’s Buffalo Bills and NHL’s Buffalo Sabres. Despite an impressive run with 15 wins in her last 17 matches over the past month, both of her recent losses came at the hands of Sabalenka in tournament finals.
