Aryna Sabalenka Beats Jessica Pegula to Win US Open for 3rd Grand Slam Title

Aryna Sabalenka Beats Jessica Pegula to Win US Open for 3rd Grand Slam Title
Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka celebrates winning her final match against Jessica Pegula of the United States during the women's singles final of the U.S. Open tennis championships in New York on Sept. 7, 2024. Mike Segar/Reuters
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NEW YORK—Aryna Sabalenka left the U.S. Open in tears 12 months ago as the runner-up. She exited in the semifinals each of the two years before that. This time, Sabalenka was in a joking mood after winning her first championship at Flushing Meadows and the third Grand Slam title of her career.

Sabalenka, the No. 2 seed, got past No. 6 Jessica Pegula 7–5, 7–5 in a rollicking final under a closed retractable roof at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Saturday, adding this triumph to the two she earned at the Australian Open each of the past two seasons, also on hard courts.