Cincinnati, 20 August 2024 (TDI): Aryna Sabalenka easily defeated Jessica Pegula in the Cincinnati Open final to claim her first championship since the Australian Open in January.
For her 15th career win and her sixth at the WTA 1,000 level, the Belarusian required 76 minutes to complete a 6-3 7-5 victory.
American Pegula, who won her Canadian Open crown last week, had been winning nine matches prior to the outcome.
After missing Wimbledon due to a shoulder injury, Sabalenka expressed in her courtside interview that “this trophy matters much to her, and it is a huge achievement, especially coming after injury.”
“My group exerted every effort to ensure that I was in the best possible mood, and I am pleased with my ability to manage all those feelings.”
After winning the fourth game to take the lead, Aryna Sabalenka, who will take Coco Gauff’s spot as the new world number two, easily won the opening set.
When serving for the championship at 5-4 in the second set, she made a small mistake and sixth seed Pegula broke back to tie the match.
Also read: Jannik Sinner Reaches in Final of Cincinnati Open Tennis Final
Nevertheless, the twice-champion of the Grand Slam bounced back, winning the match and sending celebratory kisses to the audience.
Beginning on August 26, the 26-year-old will play again at the US Open, where he overcame Iga Swiatek, the top-seeded player in the world, in the semifinal.
