New York (AFP) – Aryna Sabalenka said she is determined to prove she has learned the “tough lessons” of a challenging season after battling past Jessica Pegula to reach the US Open final on Thursday. The world number one moved a step closer to retaining her US Open crown after recovering from a set down to defeat American fourth seed Pegula 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in an absorbing two-hour five-minute duel on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court.
Sabalenka unleashed a guttural roar of delight as she finally saw off Pegula, who saved two match points in the 10th game before succumbing. The 27-year-old from Belarus had also held her nerve earlier in the deciding set, saving four break points to thwart Pegula’s attempts to claw her way back into the contest.
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“I badly wanted to give myself another opportunity, another final, and I want to prove to myself that I learned those tough lessons and I can do better in the finals,” said Sabalenka, who lost both the Australian Open and French Open finals this year before being upset in the Wimbledon semi-finals. “I think I really played great tennis. I think I handled that pressure really well,” she said. “I’m super proud of this win,” Sabalenka added, describing herself as “super emotional.”
Sabalenka’s season also included controversy at Roland Garros when she came under fire for remarks immediately after her defeat to Coco Gauff, in which she suggested her poor play had been the main factor in the outcome. “What happened in Paris, definitely not gonna happen here and never again,” she said.
While Sabalenka is now contemplating her third straight US Open final, Pegula was left reflecting on another frustrating near-miss, 12 months after losing to the Belarusian in last year’s final. “I don’t know how I didn’t break back in the third,” Pegula said. “She came up with some ridiculous shots… I didn’t feel like I did much wrong.”
Pegula had jolted Sabalenka by taking the first set, recovering from a 4-2 deficit before serving out to love to go 1-0 up with a noisy home crowd roaring her on. But there was no sign of Sabalenka being rattled as the second set began. The champion broke Pegula in the second game before sprinting into a 4-1 lead, and this time she made the advantage count as she closed out the set to level for 1-1.
Now it was Pegula feeling the pressure, and after being broken in the first game, Sabalenka once more pounced on the opening to go 3-1 up. Pegula, though, refused to fold, and had Sabalenka on the ropes in the sixth game, giving herself a glorious chance to level after going 15-40 up. The American was unable to convert either point though, and also squandered a further break point before Sabalenka held for 4-2.
Sabalenka survived another scare when she double-faulted to give Pegula a break point that could have leveled it at 4-4. But once again Pegula was unable to convert, and though she would save two match points in the 10th game, Sabalenka converted her third match point to seal victory.
© 2024 AFP
