Here’s Tumaini Carayol’s report from Flushing Meadows.
News of that earlier GB triumph.
A female JP Morgan suit hands over the prize money: $3.6m. And Billie-Jean hands over the trophy. And Sabalenka, the champion, can hold it aloft. Her second slam of the year, her third overall.
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Aryna Sabalenka, the champion, speaks: “I’m speechless. So many times I was so close, and it’s always been a dream of mine. To Jessica – you are showing you are going to get one – maybe more. In the second set I was praying. I remember those tough losses, never give up on your dream. I am super-proud of myself.”
“That’s everything, let’s be honest without them it wouldn’t be me and I wouldn’t exist and as I always say without me you guys wouldn’t exist too so you’re welcome! No, no, I love you guys. Your support is everything and you’re my family and I cannot imagine my tennis life and my personal life without you. I love you guys, I don’t say it often but I will say it loud, thank you for being you.”
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Jessica Pegula speaks: “An incredible month, coming off a hot summer. I’m really grateful for some incredible matches. I wish she would have let me get one set. If not the best hard court player in the world. I was happy I was able to fight back but in the end it wasn’t enough.”
She thanks her coaches and family. “My home Slam is amazing.”
Here come the ceremonials and Billie-Jean King will lead them, along with Mary-Jo Fernandez, looking most floral. At first, and as is customary, here come the suits. The chief suit maes both of the players sob with his kind words. He then says “tennis is a journey for life.”
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The Sabalenka coaching chap with the tattoo on his head got a deserved slap. Sabalenka has a not dissimilar tattoo on her inner arm. Poor Pegula looks disappointed. She gave so much, but like the Bills is yet to win the big one.
Sabalenka is overjoyed, and goes to meet her people – and Flavor Flav. Commiserations to Jessica Pegula, who showed the grit of any good New Yorker. The service was often wonky but when her game came together, Sabalenka had too much for an opponent who was nonetheless a worthy finalist. That was a fine, fine final.
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Sabalenka wins the US Open, beating Pegula 7-5 7-5
Pegula* 5-7 5-7 Sabalenka
Huge winner for 15-15 from Sabalenka. The radar now far more operational. 15-30 – two points to win it. Some big hitting forces two match points. Pegula saves the first with typical grit – she’s done well at the baseline rallies. One more time? No, Sabalenka wins out to crash home an overhead. Sabalenka is the champion. What an effort from Pegula but she falls short of an opponent with a much higher ceiling.
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Pegula 5-7 5-6 *Sabalenka
A double fault at 15-15 halts the revival. Pegula goes for broke down the line and falls 15-30 behind. Both players risking so much; makes for a great tennis. Big serve forces game point. And on second serve, too. Big hold, and the pressure is all on Pegula.
Sabalenka breaks back to level
Pegula* 5-7 5-5 Sabalenka
A no-look backhand overhead signals Sabalenka’s intent to save the set. And she gains three break points. The first is saved by Pegula’s movement around the court. The second she gambles and loses, down the line but out. The third, she gobbles right up, and that’s her back into the second set, and suddenly with all the momentum.
Pegula 5-7 5-4 *Sabalenka
Big chance for Pegula but Sabalenka starts to channel her anger. Sabalenka’s serve takes it to 15-15. Then comes a huge overhead. Then a mighty forehand. But Pegula smashes the ball at her shins and she has no answer. Still he holds, big hold and Pegula must serve out this second set.
Pegula* 5-7 5-3 Sabalenka
It’s 30-0 within seconds, and it briefly looks as if Pegula’s powers of recovery have saved her in the next point. Then comes a slip and it’s 30-30. Then 40-30 before an untimely double. Pegula allows herself a wry smile. Sabalenka is a face of sadness. Courtney Cox looks on and claps, as do Hammo and Anna W as Pegula claims the game.
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John G in Connecticut is missing a classic: “Sabalenka’s primal scream with every single solitary friggin’ shot is so off-putting. Switched to The Perfect Couple on Netflix and will await the men’s final tomorrow. Can’t there be a rule about this?”
Pegula breaks Sabalenka and leads the second set
Pegula 5-7 4-3 *Sabalenka
Flavor Flav claps – yeah, boy, as Pegula thrashes a winner. She then goes to the net, and volleys home. She is throwing the kitchen sink at this – and the Pegula family probably have a rather large kitchen sink. Break point to Pegula. A gasp as Sabalenka misses her first serve. Then a roar as her skidding second serve is skidded back to her, and she can only net. Pegula has control of the second set.
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Pegula* 5-7 3-3 Sabalenka
Sabalenka is getting another racquet changed. The home crowd are full of beans. Their girl is back in this. She starts with a chopping drop shot and then another for 30-0. Then a huge, swiping forehand from down on her haunches. The comeback kid. Then comes a double, acceptable at this stage. Then comes an error, less acceptable and a huge cheer of encouragement. But then a gasp as she misses the shot – for 40-40. Tracey Austin, with Andy Roddick, don’t look impressed. Still, Sabalenka misses a winner down the line. And clanks the next! It’s level in the second.
Pegula breaks back!
Pegula 5-7 2-3 *Sabalenka
Sabalenka’s surge at an end? The serve is malfunctioning, the noise levels increasing. And Pegula wins two break points with a fine return. At 30-40, Sabalenka goes long and the second set is back on serve.
Pegula* 5-7 1-3 Sabalenka
The second serve from Pegula is not finding its way past Sabalenka. At 30-30, another chance for the Belarusian, and one offered up by a spinning, top-spun forehand that clatters off the line. Brilliant play, though just as good is a low punch that takes Pegula back to deuce. Then comes a welcome big serve. Some fine baseline hitting and she claims her first game of the second set.
Pegula 5-7 0-3 *Sabalenka
The afterburners are on here, and the crowd smell disappointment. Big cheers for Sabalenka, and there’s a half-hearted backing of poor Jessica, who worked so hard, only to let it slip.
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Sabalenka breaks Pegula in the second set
Pegula* 5-7 0-2 Sabalenka
Sabalenka has let off the throttle. Pegula is wobbling, and there’s two break points offered up at 15-40. And a double offers up a break that was too easy. Pegula is annoyed.
Pegula 5-7 0-1 *Sabalenka
Is the Sabalenka serve now working? Danger danger for Pegula. Though she rallies back to 40-30 she can’t save the opening game.
Sabalenka takes the first set 7-5
Pegula* 5-7 Sabalenka
At 15-30, a glimmer for Sabalenka. Then a huge opening at 15-40. Guess what? Another racquet change. And with that, she sees out the longest rally of the match, leaving the ball to glide out of play. A gutsy serve and it’s deuce. Two set points saved. But then a huge miss at the net. It was going begging…ouch. Then Sabalenka nets. There’s a Rizla paper between these two at the moment, both playing for their lives, both vulnerable.
Sabalenka wins a rally, down the line as Pegula scrabbles. Set point again. Saved again. Then comes a serve to deceive Sabalenka. But then she saves the game with a punch volley at the net. Uh oh, a double. And then as the clock ticks past an hour, a sliced backhand wins the set for Sabalenka. That was a classic.
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Pegula 5-6 *Sabalenka
A key stage of the match. Some fearsome returning and it’s 30-30. Then some racquet abuse to hand over break points with a double. Sabalenka then powers back to deuce. Then swats her 20th winner to take advantage. Pegula hasn’t given up: deuce once more. But Sabalenka holds her cool as she wins a rally at the net. The first serve is struggling, though, and so is the second. Another double! But then a thrashing backhand grabs another advantage. Pegula punches back with a zipping return. But eventually, Sabalenka holds. Pegula must serve to stay in the first set, and this feels like a three-setter.
Pegula* 5-5 Sabalenka
The Pegula service looks in far better nick. And as she goes to 40-0, Sabalenka changes her racquet. No use, a squawk of rage as she fails to dig out a backhand.
Lewis and Anna Wintour at the US Open. pic.twitter.com/5wFYqpvPMv
— soph (@sophwebsterxx) September 7, 2024
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Pegula breaks back
Pegula 4-5 *Sabalenka
Hesitance from the favourite, her serve not coming as well as it might. She manages to lose a point when she has just a punch home to complete. Then it’s Pegula’s turn – 30-30 – and a bomb of a serve is called out. Then comes a double for a break-back chance. That’s dismissed with the punishment of a bouncing ball, only for another break point to be served out. The first serve is not operational, the second serve is faulty. Pegula lives on in the first set!
Pegula* 3-5 Sabalenka
Pegula has changed racquet again. How many racquets can the owners of the Buffalo Bills afford? Seems to work, though, with some fine serving. Sabalenka is foxed by a couple of skidding efforts. That’s the strongest service game either has offered but Sabalenka will serve for the set.
Big cheers for Lewis Hamilton, Steph Curry and Billie-Jean King. The former Miss Moffit gets the biggest roar of the lot, as she rightly deserves.
Pegula 2-5 *Sabalenka
Sabalenka’s noise and power is prevailing, and Pegula is dropping to the back of the court, opening all the space up for those big shots. Pegula changes her racquet. Up in the stands, Stephen Curry seems to be enjoying the show. Home fires burn when Pegula makes it to 30-30. Sabalenka aims to take game point but instead wangs it off court. Deuce: Pegula is still full of fight but is beaten by a nice drop volley that she fails to reach. But then levels. Feels like a long night is in store, whatever happens in this game. Sabalenka takes back the lead with an overhead, clattering it home, then serves out with an ace, her third.
Sabalenka breaks again
Pegula* 2-4 Sabalenka
Some awesome power from Sabalenka takes her to 15-40, and two break points. The first is gobbed up by more power.
Pegula 2-3 *Sabalenka
A crashing winner for 30-15 suggests Saba may have found her rhythm. But then comes a double for 30-30, and the use of a towel. That’s followed by fearsome serving, followed by a bludgeoned overhead, her quickest serve all tourney. Sabalenka holds when Pegula is far too ambitious down the line, and ends up missing it.
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Sabalenka breaks back
Pegula* 2-2 Sabalenka
Sabalenka steps up, booming baseline hits taking her to 0-30, before a nice serve from Pegula. Then an error from Sabalenka for 30-30. Then it’s a forehand from the baseline that wins a vital point. Sabalenka roars as he crashes a winner home for deuce. She has to fire herself up, and it’s Pegula who misreads another ground stroke to offer up a break point. Sabalenka’s tattoo-ed-headed coach looks happy enough
Pegula breaks Sabalenka's serve
Pegula 2-1 *Sabalenka
Pegula uses her extra pace to drill back a drop shot for 15-15. And when it comes to a rally, she prevails for 15-30. The American full of zip early on. Two breaks points, and to a huge roar. And with a crashing return, the home hero is a break up.
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Pegula* 1-1 Sabalenka
The noise is oppressive, perhaps a distraction to Pegula, who struggles to get her serve going. Still, she wins a rally to level at 15-15. Then comes a big serve, down the middle. Another forces an error. Impressive from Pegula as she levels. and jogs back to change her racquet.
Pegula 0-1 Sabalenka*
Pegula starts with zest, zipping after the Sabalenka serve, and, with the rain lashing down on the roof, it goes 15-30 but then to 30-30. And then a huge serve, and another. Game to the Belarusian.
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The toss was won by Pegula, who elected to receive Sabalenka’s serve. So, here we go. this is it. It’s flooding down outside. US weather continues to look wild to us sat here in the UK.
Let’s hope neither player feels as bilious as Jack Draper did last night.
So, the ceremonials are done, and the players are knocking up as the PA system belches out adverts and housekeeping. “Two minutes,” calls the ump, and we are soon to be away.
“Sometimes there’s not much you can do,” says Pegula of her opponent who says she is full of confidence. It’s the Buffalo girl who comes out first, and to a loud reception and with a huge smile. She takes her headphones off. Warm enough reception for Sabalenka, too. Her headphones stay on longer.
Here we go with God Bless America, as sung by Mickey Guyton, using the cursive singing style we have had to get used to in recent years. It’s a pretty decent effort as these things go. Heading into the Arthur Ashe, in comes Lewis Hamilton. Flushing Meadows looks great, to be fair.
Weather news, it’s windy and cold in NYC, so the roof is on. Does that favour the bigger hitters? Advante Sabalenka in that case.
As the piece below shows, Pegula’s parents happen to own the Buffalo Bills. They will be hoping their daughter doesn’t do a Jim Kelly. The Bills roster have wished her good luck.
Sabalenka meanwhile has Belarus on her side.
Good luck to @JPegula in the @USOpen final today.
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) September 7, 2024
We'll be cheering you on!! 🎾 #USOpen pic.twitter.com/pbf0kucjnv
Both players are going through their paces. Sabalenka’s coach has tattooed something on his head and she is using it as some kind of pressure point: think Yuri Geller on metatarsals for Rooney and Beckham, Laurent Blanc and Fabien Barthez.
And men’s doubles champs.
Their first Grand Slam doubles title as a team!
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 7, 2024
You've earned every bit of it, @MaxPurcell98 and @jordanthommmo2 🙌 pic.twitter.com/elHuFKlEJ2
We have a new boys champion, too.
Quarterfinal - d. Roland-Garros champion
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 7, 2024
Semifinal - d. Australian Open champion
Final - d. Wimbledon champion
Rafael Jodar comes through the ultimate path to the US Open Boys' title! 🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/HlSZ8IM7NO
Great news for Great Britain, as Mika Stojsavljevic was crowned champion of the girls’ singles.
The second Brit to claim the US Open Girls' singles title after Heather Watson in 2009! 🇬🇧 pic.twitter.com/nyyRJbHYzt
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 7, 2024
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Some background on Jessica Pegula here.
And Tumaini Carayol’s preview of the final.
Preamble
It’s up to her, New York, New York. Can Buffalo’s Jessica Pegula beat Aryna Sabalenka, the princess of the hard-court season and win her first Grand Slam? Or will Sabalenka, who lost last year’s final and won the Australian last year prevail? It may take all Pegula’s guile for that to happen. The match begins at 9pm UK time/4pm New York time.
Let’s see, shall we?
