Aryna Sabalenka beats Jessica Pegula for first U.S. Open title

Second-seeded Aryna Sabalenka racked up 40 winners while defeating sixth-seeded Jessica Pegula 7-5, 7-5 to win her first U.S. Open title on Saturday afternoon at New York.

It is the third career Grand Slam crown for Sabalenka, who won the Australian Open each of the past two years. The 26-year-old is the first women's player since Germany's Angelique Kerber in 2016 to win the Aussie and U.S. Opens in the same year.

Sabalenka received a check for $3.6 million in winnings.

"To get a U.S. Open has been a dream of mine," Sabalenka said during the on-court trophy ceremony at Arthur Ashe Stadium after the match. "... It means a lot. I'm literally speechless right now."

Sabalenka of Belarus lost in the 2023 U.S. Open final to Coco Gauff.

This time around, Sabalenka was too strong for Pegula, who had just 17 winners and 22 unforced errors. Sabalenka committed 34 unforced errors.

Pegula, 30, was in a Grand Slam final for the first time and the pro-New York crowd was behind the Buffalo native from the outset.

But Sabalenka was the stronger player in the first set until Pegula made it tight by winning three straight games to tie it at 5-5. Sabalenka won the final two games to take the set.

In the second set, Pegula had a 5-3 lead but was unable to even the match. Sabalenka won the last four games to win the match.

"I wish she would have at least given me one set," Pegula said during the ceremony. "She's super powerful. She's definitely not going to give you anything and she can knock the racket out of your hands."

--Field Level Media