Sabalenka crowns mental ride on the razor’s edge with US Open victory

Last year, Aryna Sabalenka lost the final victory at the US Open. This time, she was shaky, but still won against Jessica Pegula from the USA. It was a special victory. Behind her lies a year full of hurdles.

When it was all over – the last ball played, the tears of triumph dried and the trophy in her hands – Aryna Sabalenka said a sentence that summed up her past twelve months quite well. “If you keep working hard and sacrifice everything for your dream, one day you will reach your goal.”

Aryna Sabalenka reached her goal on September 7, 2024. I am Arthur Ashe Stadium from Flushing MeadowsHere she won the final of the US Open. It was her third Grand Slam victory this year after her triumph at the 2023 Australian Open. After 1 hour and 53 minutes, Sabalenka had won 7:5, 7:5 against the American Jessica Pegula. She worked hard for it, sacrificed a lot – and has now been rewarded.

Fall down, pick yourself up, carry on, win

She is “super proud of yourself”said Sabalenka, stressing at the same time that she doesn’t actually say things like that about herself. These words were quickly drowned out by the cheers of the audience. She loved New York, this 26-year-old born in Minsk and living in Miami. Because she personifies the material of a story that they love so much in America. A story of falling down, picking yourself up, carrying on – and winning. Sabalenka has experienced all of that in the past twelve months.

Her story began where it now ended: in Arthur Ashe Stadium from Flushing MeadowsHere, on September 9, 2023, Sabalenka dominated the first set in the final against the American Coco Gauff and won 6:2. But then she got nervous, made mistakes, and brought her opponent back into the match. And: Sabalenka not only played against Gauff, but also against her almost 24,000 loud compatriots.

Expert Evert confident

In the cauldron with the 40-meter-high stands, they reacted to every successful move by Gauff and every mistake by Sabalenka like a hungry lion being presented with a raw piece of meat. They regularly drooled with excitement, they roared loudly, they wanted more. And they got it: Gauff won 2:6, 6:3, 6:2.

“Sabalenka had a slump in the match, mainly because of the crowd. That will not happen to her today, she has learned her lesson”said ESPN expert Chris Evert in the final against Pegula. And the 18-time Grand Slam winner was initially proven right.

Hardest forehand topspin of the tournament

Sabalenka had led 5:2 in the first set. She was better, she played her power tennis confidently, hitting the balls hard, long and with precision over the net. Every shot was accompanied by her long-known, loud moan. In the days of Flushing Meadows A lot of data was collected, including for the strongest forehand of the tournament. In first place: not a man, but Sabalenka. With their topspin they reached an average speed of 80 miles (128.75 km/h). Carlos Alcaraz reached 79 miles (127.14 km/h), Jannik Sinner was measured at 78 miles (125.3 km/h).

But what good is all that strength if your head is weak? Suddenly Pegula had equalized at 5:5. Sabalenka, the favorite who had been playing confidently until then, seemed vulnerable. Pegula noticed this – and of course the audience did too. When Sabalenka made a double fault at 5:5, 30:30 and Pegula had a break point, the crowd cheered – while Sabalenka, frustrated, hit the blue floor four times with her racket. There it was again, that feeling from last year: her against everyone. Aryna against America.

Despite magenta Outfit for on the go

She was similarly tense shortly afterwards when she was unable to convert four set balls when Pegula was serving and was leading 6-5. Sabalenka then used the fifth chance with a sensitive backhand stop to make it 7-5. However, the second set was also a mental ride on a razor’s edge for her.

After winning two service games and breaking, Sabalenka was 3-0 ahead – but still became nervous again. From then on, Pegula dictated the rally, was the more forceful player, and led 5-3. Sabalenka was almost exclusively on the defensive and looked pretty pale despite her magenta outfit.

Sabalenka scratches, fights and comes back

But then the development she had made since her defeat against Gauff became apparent. Sabalenka scratched, fought and got back into the match. She broke Pegula’s serve to make it 5:5. They then managed to get their own serve through to make it 6:5 – and she used her second match point to win.

Sabalenka sank to the ground, held her hands over her face and cried. A year ago, she had shed tears of disappointment right here, now the tears were of relief, redemption and satisfaction. Sabalenka kissed the hands of the stands and high-fived many fans on her way to her box. Everyone is happy for her. If no American woman wins the 2024 US Open, then this Aryna Sjarhejeuna Sabalenka was the best option for the New York audience.

Charm offensive with New York audience

How they had both been cheating and flirting with each other over the past few days. “The drinks are on my bill”Sabalenka answered the question, amid cheers from fans after her quarter-final victory, how she was able to get the fans to support her in the semi-final against American Emma Navarro.

“Now you’re going to cheer me on, aren’t you?”she said with her friendly smile after the victory against Navarro, when it was not yet certain that she would meet an American in the final with Pegula. And now, when she had finally won this US Open, Sabalenka thanked for the “lots of support.” The fans, she emphasized, were “fantastic” and would “All this makes this a special and charming place” make.

Ex-partner takes his own life

So much for the sporting side of things. But there is another chapter to her story of the past twelve months. A tragic one. Her former partner, Konstantin Koltsov, died in Miami in March. The former ice hockey professional, who played 144 games for the Pittsburgh Penguins in North America’s Profila NHL jumped from a hotel balcony. Police believe it was suicide. Sabalenka spoke of a “unthinkable tragedy”Although she was no longer together with Koltsov at the time of the accident, she “Heart broken”she emphasizes.

Nevertheless, Sabalenka did not take a break and played in the tournament in Miami. She had done the same in 2019, when her father Sergey died at the age of 43. Back then, tennis helped her get through this difficult time, she said in an interview with the British newspaper before the US Open. “The Guardian”And that’s why, after Koltsov’s death, she thought that she had to do it again this time. Somehow numb her grief with training and tournaments.

Psychological problems lead to injury

Looking back, this was a mistake. They noticed that her body and mind just couldn’t handle it anymore, so she forced herself. In the quarterfinals of the French Open, her stomach rumbled. She had to give up at the tournament in Berlin because of a shoulder injury and then missed Wimbledon. Sabalenka now knows the reason: she had mental problems, her emotional health suffered greatly during this phase, she says. It was only after the shoulder injury that she realized that she urgently needed a break, says Sabalenka.

After her comeback, she won the tournament in Cincinnati – also against Pegula in the final – and now the US Open. The title in Flushing Meadows be “always a dream” from her, she said. “I was so close last year. Now to have this wonderful trophy means a lot to me. I’m simply speechless.” The end.