Aryna Sabalenka Overcomes Tough Year to Win US Open

Playing against an American player in the late stages of the U.S. Open is always a challenge. Belarusian tennis star Aryna Sabalenka, the world No. 2, knows this well.

In the U.S. Open final, the loud crowd heavily favoring American player Coco Gauff in the previous match affected Sabalenka. The noise, even before today’s final against another American, No. 6 ranked Jessica Pegula, “was blocking my ears. So that was, like, so much pressure.”  

This time, instead of letting the support for Pegula bother her, Sabalenka tried to embrace the underdog role. In a tight first set tied at 5-5, for example, Sabalenka pumped her arms after winning a point, as if to say, “Hey, all you supposed tennis fans, what about a little love for me?” 

Sabalenka received brief applause. Then, the fans returned to cheering for Pegula. 

But it wasn’t enough. Sabalenka defeated Pegula in straight sets, 7-5, 7-5, to win her first U.S. Open title and the third major championship of her career (she is the reigning back-to-back Australian Open champion). Celebrities like , , Flavor Flav, Maggie Gyllenhal, and John Krasinski attended the Saturday late afternoon match. 

Sabalenka’s victory is particularly meaningful this year, considering how close she came to winning in New York City last season and a difficult 2024 where she faced injuries and personal loss. 

In March, her ex-boyfriend, Belarusian pro hockey player Konstantin Koltsov, died in Miami Beach. Police ruled it an apparent suicide. Sabalenka was in South Florida for the Miami Open at the time and said, “I am heartbroken.” 

A stomach bug ended her French Open run, and a shoulder injury prevented her from competing at Wimbledon. In an article published in in August, Sabalenka admitted she wished she had taken a break after Koltsov’s death. “It was really emotional and really stressful, and kind of damaged my mental health at that point,” she said. “At the end I paid for my decision.”

In Saturday’s final, Sabalenka showcased the qualities that make her one of the most captivating players in the world. She is fearless, often going for powerful shots even when a softer approach would suffice. If she misses, she just tries again. “I know I have to go for it,” says Sabalenka. “That’s the only way it works for me.”

She’s fun; her grunts are consistent on her shots, and one was so loud and off-key on Saturday that the Arthur Ashe Stadium fans giggled. After her quarterfinal victory, knowing she was playing another American, Emma Navarro, in the semis, she was asked on-court what she’d do to sway some support to her side.

“Drinks on me tonight?”

She’s an unpredictable roller coaster, slamming her racket four times—bam, bam, bam, bam—on the court after a double fault during a crucial 5-5 first-set game. This mistake gave Pegula a break point, and an opportunity to steal the set. Sabalenka could have lost her composure. Instead, she held a 14-point back-and-forth game and broke Pegula’s serve to finish out the set. 

In the second set, Sabalenka maintained her confidence. Pegula went up a break  and was serving at 5-4 to extend the match. But Sabalenka played a beautiful first point, charging toward the net to chase down a tough Pegula drop shot, then hitting a jumping backhand volley that Pegula couldn’t handle. Sabalenka was moving with momentum, and this opening flourish set the tone for the game. Sabalenka playfully encouraged the fans for more noise after winning the second point. She broke Pegula with a powerful forehand winner—her average topspin forehand speed rivals some of the world’s top men’s players—then waved for fans to stand up. Sabalenka’s victory seemed inevitable. 

And indeed, she finished the job, holding serve and then, on her second championship point, smashing a slow ball that Pegula sent back long. Sabalenka collapsed, her back on the Arthur Ashe Stadium hard court, her hands covering her face.

“I was just so proud of myself, and proud of my team, that no matter what, we were able to come back strong, come back with better tennis,” Sabalenka said afterwards. “I don’t know how to describe that feeling. It’s like you’re crying, you’re laughing, you just feel all this emotion at the same time. And that’s the best feeling. I really wish everyone could experience that.” She repeatedly called the U.S. Open trophy “beautiful”—winning it was a lifelong dream.

Until further notice, Sabalenka is the best hard court player in the world. Cheers erupted after she clinched the match and as she held the trophy aloft at Arthur Ashe. This time, the prolonged cheers lingered. And they’ll almost certainly be back.