Aryna Sabalenka won her first US Open title as she put the disappointment of last year’s final behind her to hold off home hope Jessica Pegula.
Sabalenka was seen smashing her racquet on the floor of the locker room after losing the Flushing Meadows showpiece to Coco Gauff in 2023.
However, 12 months on, the Belarusian second seed earned redemption in New York, dropping to the floor in celebration after clinching a thrilling 7-5 7-5 win over Pegula.
It is a third Grand Slam singles title for Sabalenka after she successfully defended her Australian Open title in January.
It also continues her dominance on hard courts, with the win over the sixth seed extending Sabalenka’s unbeaten run on the surface at major tournaments to 14 matches.
“I’m speechless right now. It’s always been a dream of mine and finally I got this beautiful trophy,” Sabalenka said.
The 26-year-old ran up to her player’s box to celebrate the victory, hugging her team and jokingly slapping the head of her strength and conditioning coach Jason Stacy, who had a replica of Sabalenka’s tiger tattoo printed on the area.
“If you’re really working hard sacrificing everything for your dream, you’re going to get it one day,” she added.
“I’m just super proud of myself. I never say that but I’m super proud of myself.
“I’m super proud of my team that no matter what, we were able to go through it and get all those beautiful trophies.”
For Pegula, the wait for a first major title goes on.
Playing in a first Grand Slam singles final, the 30-year-old was buoyed by a partisan crowd on Arthur Ashe Stadium and made a late surge to halt Sabalenka.
But Sabalenka fought back from a 5-3 deficit in the second set before wrapping up victory after one hour and 53 minutes to claim 2,000 ranking points and $3.6m (£3.04m) in prize money.
Sabalenka and Pegula arrived in New York as the two most in-form players, with each having won a WTA 1,000 tournament last month.
Pegula appeared to be brimming with confidence as she started aggressively and surprised Sabalenka by striking the first blow early in the opening set.
But Sabalenka broke back immediately before powering her way through the next three games.
The two-time Australian Open winner faltered, however, when trying to serve out the set and Pegula put a finger to her ear, demanding more noise from an already-raucous crowd, as she refound her rhythm to level the opener at 5-5.
The pair grew frustrated as the first set came to a crescendo, with both hitting their racquets angrily off the floor before Sabalenka – after missing four set points – closed it out at the fifth time of asking.
Keen to avoid a repeat of last year’s final, which she lost after winning the opening set, Sabalenka steamrolled through the first three games of the second set.
But roared on by her home crowd, Pegula battled her way back, breaking twice to take a 5-3 lead before the big-hitting Sabalenka slammed on the brakes.
