US Open final LIVE: Aryna Sabalenka v Jessica Pegula result and reaction from gripping women’s final
Sabalenka won a US Open final full of twists and turns 7-5 7-5 to win her third grand slam title
Aryna Sabalenka won her first US Open title and third grand slam after beating home favourite Jessica Pegula to avenge last year’s final defeat.
There was heartbreak for Sabalenka in New York 12 months ago when Coco Gauff battled from a set down to win the US Open final. But a year later, Sabalenka subdued the home crowd and a charging Pegula to win 7-5 7-5.
There were nervy moments, particulary as the American Pegula, playing in her first grand slam final, fought back from 3-0 down to lead 5-3 in the second set. Pegula served to take the match into a third set but, once again, Sabalenka managed to overturn Pegula’s momentum and silence the home crowd
The World No 2 from Belarus adds the US Open title to back-to-back Australian Opens, having defended her crown in Melbourne at the start of the year.
It’s a big weekend for the Americans at the US Open, with home players through to the finals of both the women’s and men’s singles for the first time since 2002. Tomorrow, Taylor Fritz will face World No 1 Jannik Sinner for a shot at his first grand slam title.
Follow all the latest build-up, score updates and reaction from the US Open women’s final below:
US Open final: Jessica Pegula vs Aryna Sabalenka
Pegula and Sabalenka skip through their pre-match tunnel interviews without revealing too much that they haven’t already said before tonight’s final.
And here we go! Both Pegula and Sabalenka walk out onto the biggest court in tennis wearing headphones - Pegula, ahead of her first grand slam final, seems to realise this is a moment she should remember, so lowers them around her neck before waving to the crowd.
James Keothavong is tonight’s chair umpire, as former US Open champion Kim Clijsters, who I think is joined by her eldest daughter, join in with the pre-match photo.
Clijsters, of course, returned to win the US Open after giving birth.
US Open final: Jessica Pegula vs Aryna Sabalenka
Seven-time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton and US basketball star Steph Curry are among the sporting icons in the house tonight.
We’re almost ready to go.
US Open final: Jessica Pegula vs Aryna Sabalenka
With Jessica Pegula and Taylor Fritz, this is the first time an American woman and man are both in the finals of the US Open since 2002. That was when Serena Williams and Pete Sampras were champions.
It could be a big US Open weekend.
There is going to be an opening ceremony before tonight’s US Open women’s final, which feels a bit unnecessary but there we are.
US Open final: Jessica Pegula vs Aryna Sabalenka
Aryna Sabalenka ahead of playing her second US Open final in row, following defeat to Coco Gauff last year.
“I had really tough lessons here in the past, really as I think I had so many opportunities but I didn’t use them for different reasons. I wasn’t ready. Then I got emotional. Then I just couldn’t handle the crowd.
“So many times I felt like I just missed the opportunity, and every time I come back here I really enjoy being in New York.
“I enjoy these courts, I enjoy the crowd, I enjoy playing in this beautiful stadium in front of the crowd. I enjoy the city, the time on the court.
“Every time I come back here, I have this positive thinking, like, ‘Come on, maybe this time’.
“Every time I’m hoping that one day I’ll be able to hold that beautiful trophy.
“The tough losses never made me feel depressed or think of not coming back to the tournament.
“It’s only motivated me to come back and to try one more time, try harder and maybe, like, work harder on some things which maybe didn’t work in the past.
“I’m still hoping to hold that beautiful trophy.”
US Open final: Jessica Pegula vs Aryna Sabalenka
Jessica Pegula on what it would mean to win the US Open:
“It’s amazing. It’s a childhood dream. It’s what I wanted when I was a kid,” she said.
“It’s a lot of work, a lot of hard work put in. You couldn’t even imagine how much goes into it.
“It would mean the world to me to win, obviously. I’m just happy to be in a final, but obviously I come here to want to win the title.
“If you would have told me at the beginning of the year I’d be in the finals of the US Open, I would have laughed so hard, because that just was where my head was, was not thinking that I would be here.
“So to be able to overcome all those challenges and say that I get a chance at the title on Saturday is what we play for as players, let alone being able to do that in my home country here, in my home slam. It’s perfect, really.”
US Open final: Jessica Pegula vs Aryna Sabalenka
And here’s Jessica Pegula’s path to the US Open final. Afer losing her first six grand slam quarter-finals, she defeated Iga Swiatek before her comeback victory over Karoline Muchova. Like Sabalenka, Pegula has lost just one set and has only played one tiebreak.
R1: vs Shelby Rogers 6-4 6-3
R2: vs Sofia Kenin 7-6 (4) 6-3
R3: vs Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-3 6-3
R4: vs Diana Shnaider [18] 6-4 6-2
QFs: vs Iga Swiatek [1] 6-2 6-4
SFs: vs Karolina Muchova 1-6 6-4 6-2
US Open final: Jessica Pegula vs Aryna Sabalenka
As we get closer to the players walking out onto Arthur Ashe, the biggest stadium court in tennis, here’s how Aryna Sabalenka reached her second US Open final.
The second seed has dropped just one set so far, and has played just one tiebreak.
R1: vs Priscilla Hon 6-3 6-3
R2: vs Lucia Bronzetti 6-3 6-1
R3: vs Ekaterina Alexandrova [29] 2-6 6-1 6-2
R4: vs Elise Mertens [33] 6-2 6-4
QFs: vs Qinwen Zheng [7] 6-1 6-2
SFs: vs Emma Navarro [13] 6-3 7-6 (2)
US Open final: Jessica Pegula vs Aryna Sabalenka
Records on the line
If Sabalenka wins: First player to win Australian Open and US Open titles in same year since Angelique Kerber (2016)
First player to win US Open after losing the final the previous year since Justine Henin (2007)
Only second player since Serena Williams to win two grand slams in the same season - after Iga Swiatek won French Open and US Open in 2022.
If Pegula wins: First player to beat World No 1 and World No 2 on way to winning US Open title since Maria Sharapova (2006)
US Open final: Jessica Pegula vs Aryna Sabalenka
The head-to-head is firmly in Sabalenka’s favour: she has won five of her seven meetings against Pegula, including in straight sets in last month’s Cincinatti Open final.
“She served unbelievable, and I felt like I still had chances in that match,” Pegula said. “So hopefully she doesn’t serve that good Saturday. Maybe a little bit less would be nice.
“But I think I know that I can have a game that can possibly frustrate her.”
US Open final: Jessica Pegula vs Aryna Sabalenka
Aryna Sabalenka has established herself as the dominant force in the women’s game on hard courts, reaching her second US Open final in a row while also winning back-to-back Australian Opens. At the grand slams, she has won 26 of her last 27 matches on hard surfaces.
However, that one defeat come in last year’s US Open final to Coco Gauff - where the occasion of playing an American in the final got the better of her. Sabalenka was a set up and closing in on the title before her game unravelled and Gauff took advantage.
“Last year it was very tough experience, very tough lesson,” Sabalenka said this week.
“I wasn’t ready. Then I got emotional. Then I just couldn’t handle the crowd.”
However, the World No 2 was untroubled by American Emma Navarro in the semi-finals, 6-3 7-6.
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