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Sabalenka downs Pegula to win US Open thriller / Photo: © GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
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Sabalenka downs Pegula to win US Open thriller
Aryna Sabalenka won the US Open and her third Grand Slam crown with a thrilling victory over a gallant Jessica Pegula in a rollercoaster final on Saturday.
World number two Sabalenka triumphed 7-5, 7-5 to add the New York title to her back-to-back Australian Open victories.
Pegula went down fighting, however, recovering from 0-3 and break point down to lead 5-3 in the second set before Sabalenka came through.
The 26-year-old from Belarus clubbed 40 winners to become the first woman since Angelique Kerber in 2016 to capture both hardcourt majors in the same season.
Sabalenka lost the 2023 US Open final to Pegula's compatriot Coco Gauff and she struggled to settle in during the early stages on Saturday as a flurry of errors handed the home favourite a break for 2-1.
But the powerful Sabalenka levelled immediately and broke again for 4-2.
A capacity crowd of 23,000 included sporting royalty such as Olympic 100m gold medallist Noah Lyles, NBA star Steph Curry and former Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton watched on.
Most were behind Pegula but the 30-year-old was defenceless against the remorseless hitting of the world number two, whose screams echoed beneath the closed roof of the cavernous Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Pegula, who had knocked out world number one Iga Swiatek and then battled from a set and break down to see off Karolina Muchova in the semi-final, clung on.
From 2-5 down, she hit back for 5-5, breaking Sabalenka as the Australian Open champion served for the set.
In a marathon 12th game, however, Pegula saved four set points but not the fifth.
Sabalenka had unleashed 25 winners and committed 23 unforced errors to Pegula's nine and 11, illustrating a dramatic contrast of styles in the 60-minute opener.
For the second match in succession, Pegula was soon a set and break down again, a double fault allowing Sabalenka to move ahead 3-0.
Incredibly, the 30-year-old stormed back to lead 5-3 before Sabalenka broke in the 10th game as her opponent attempted to level the final.
Sabalenka held her nerve to claim victory when Pegula went long with a weary drive.
L. Brown--BTZ
