Aryana Sabalenka completed a Grand Slam title hat-trick on Saturday as she fought from 5-3 down in the final set to win the US Open final over Jessica Pegula.
The second seed wrapped up a 7-5, 7-5 victory to add the New York title to her pair of Australian Open honours earned this season and last.
Victory also erased any memories of her loss in the final here a year ago to Coco Gauff; American women have now lost the last two finals at Flushing Meadows,
Sabalenka, who ended with 40 winners, collapsed on her back on the court as Pegula sent a lob long on second match point as she won against a decidedly pro-Pegula crowd who occasionally jeered her errors.
With tears of joy streaming down her face, she scrambled into the stands to greet her player box.
“I’m speechless, so many many times I thought (last year) I was close to the title – now I’ve got it,” the 26-year-old said. “This has been a dream of mine.
In the second set I was really praying for this win. I’m super-proud of myself and proud of my team. We were finally able to get this beautiful trophy.
“I heard a lot of support from the crowd. I expected you guys to cheer for Jessica- if you had cheered for me it would not be normal.”
The 61-minute opening set was a scrappy affair, with Sabalenka at times forced to battle a pro-Pegula crowd as well as her opponent.
The pair traded nervous breaks in the third and fourth games before Sabalenka took a 4-2 lead, eventually stretching to 5-2.
But upstate New Yorker Pegula fought back with a break for 4-5 and levelled a five apiece a game later.
It took a huge effort for Sabalenka to close out the opener, holding over four deuces in an eight-minute game for a 6-5 lead.
Pegula put up a huge fight a game laer, saving four Sabalenka set points before double-faulting to set up a fifth and netting a return as she ran for a drop shot to trail.
The second set produced even more, with the 30-year-old Pegula broken while serving to stay alive serving for the second set.
Sabalenka held for 6-5 and completed victory with another break in the final game after just under two hours.
Both players entered the final with a WTA-best 15 wins over the summer hardcourt season. Pegula’s lone loss was to Sabalenka at last month’s Cincinnati final.
Sabalenka has now won her last dozen matches and owns 50 hardcourt Grand Slam wins from 61 matches played.
Pegula, who put out No. 1 Iga swiatek in the quarter-finals, was still pleased with her effort this north American season after winning the Montreal title and facing Sabalenka three weeks ago in the Cincy final.
“It’s been an incredible month for me after a rough start (injury) this year. But I was able to turn it around.
“I played a Grand Slam final coming off a hot summer. I didn’t expect this. But i do wish I could have won at least a set.
“Aryna is the best hardcourt player in the world; she’s super-powerful, goes for shots and can take the racquet out of your hand.
“I’m happy I was able to fight back but in the end it wasn’t enough. But I still gave myself opportunities.”
