U.S. Open 2024: Aryna Sabalenka defeats Jessica Pegula for third career Grand Slam title

Two dreams collided at the U.S. Open women’s single final Saturday. For Jessica Pegula, it was the Buffalo native hoping to win in front of friends and family.

For Aryna Sabalenka, it was forgetting heartbreak. She lost not only last year’s final to Coco Gauff but came up short in the semifinals in 2021 and 2022.

Sabalenka’s dream won out with a 7-5, 7-5 straight set victory at Arthur Ashe Stadium for her first U.S. Open singles title. After the victory, she fell to the court and held her face in jubilation.

“I don’t know how to describe that feeling,” Sabalenka said. “It’s like you’re crying, you’re laughing. You feel all this emotion at the same time and that’s the best feeling."

The win is Sabalenka’s third career Grand Slam title, matching her wins from the last two Australian Opens. The 26-year-old from Belarus became the first woman to win both the U.S. and Australian Open in the same calendar year since Angelique Kerber did so in 2016.

Sabalenka only dropped one set throughout the tournament. However, Pegula made her work in the 1-hour, 53-minute match Saturday. Pegula rallied from being down 5-2 in the first set to tie at 5-all. In the second set, she was down 0-3 and went up 5-3.

Sabalenka, ranked No. 2 in the world, was mentally preparing to go to a third and final set. Instead, she won the next four games, including breaking Pegula when she was serving for the set.

It resembled the push Sabalenka needed in the first set after Pegula battled back. Sabalenka won a 14-point game to go up 6-5 despite Pegula fighting off three break points.

Pegula’s grit was outmatched by Sabalenka’s power and prowess at the net as she won 18 of 23 net points.

While the crowd cheered Sabalenka, there was disappointment because they were firmly behind Pegula most of the match. Fans hoped she’d become the second consecutive American woman to win the Open after Gauff.

“It was so loud when we walked out,” said Pegula,“I think with the roof closed, it felt even louder. So it was a really cool atmosphere, really cool experience. Obviously at some point I was trying to take it all in but at the same time, try and focus on the match in front of me.”

The 30-year-old, ranked sixth in the world, also had a run to remember at Ashe. Pegula defeated world No. 1 Iga Swiatek in straight sets in the quarterfinals then had a three-set win over Karolina Muchova in the semifinals.

In doing so, she became the oldest American woman in the Open era (since 1968) to reach her first Grand Slam final. Her parents Terry and Kim, owners of the NFL's Buffalo Bills and NHL's Sabres, were in the crowd along with several friends whom she has known since childhood.

“I think for them, it was really fun, too,” Pegula said. "With how many things I’ve had to miss for them, for them to come and see, this is why, I think that’s really cool.”

Pegula entered Saturday having won 15 of her last 16 hardcourt matches since the Olympics in Paris. After going up 5-3 in the second, the crowd tried to will her on to even the match.

“I would love to be in a third set right now,” Pegula said. “But I guess, relatively speaking, happy that I was able to at least get my chances to win a set.”

She had her chances but Sabalenka also had motivations. There were emotions to exorcise after last year’s three-set loss to Gauff at Ashe.

On Saturday, those feelings were released in a better way. A kiss for the trophy and joy for redemption 12 months later.

“I was always hoping that one day I'll be able to hold this beautiful trophy,” Sabalenka said. “It's been always my dream. That's why it's very special, because no matter what, every time I was coming back stronger, and I was learning. I never gave up on this dream and it's means a lot.”

By Evan Barnes

evan.barnes@newsday.comevan_b

Evan Barnes covers the Nets for Newsday. He previously covered Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.