As the magnificent opening set of the US Open final between Aryna Sabalenka and Jessica Pegula reached its breathless climax on Saturday evening in New York, the supreme quality of their shotmaking belied the suffocating tension on both sides of the net. After failing to serve out the set against a resolute Pegula, the No 2 seed desperately tried to avoid the familiar sensation of collapsing under pressure in a significant grand slam match.
The solution she found was reflective of the extensive work it has taken for her to become a champion.
