Cincinnati Tennis Championship: Aryna Sabalenka Overpowers Jessica Pegula to Secure Victory Prior to the US Open
Sabalenka was as close as possible to having a flawless week, with the second-ranked player in the world not dropping a single set as she claimed her first title since she defended her Australian Open victory in January.
Facing the in-form player on the WTA Tour in the sixth-ranked Pegula, Sabalenka was up against a player who had won nine straight games following her victory at the Canadian Open in Toronto.
Pegula was aiming to become the first woman since Evonne Goolagong Cawley in 1973 to win both the Canadian Open and Cincinnati Open in the same season, but her hopes were dashed by Sabalenka's raw power and accuracy.
"I would say I'm playing really well," Sabalenka said afterwards, according to the WTA. "Maybe not at my best level, but I'm definitely getting there. And with every match, I feel better, better and better, and hopefully, at the US Open, I can keep improving and maybe even reach a higher level than I have before."
Sabalenka fired down 10 aces and won 91% of points on her first serve, leaving Pegula to joke that "it felt like Serena [Williams] was serving out there today."
Since the Cincinnati title is the sixth WTA 1000 title of Sabalenka's career, she now ties Serena Williams for the third most titles among active players. Sabalenka also has a 5-2 head-to-head record against Pegula going into the US Open.
"Incredible couple weeks," Pegula said after losing the final. "Unfortunately, Sabalenka was just playing too well today, at a really high level, and it didn't seem to come down. And I had some chances at the end, but wasn't able to make it happen."
The US Open begins on August 26.
Sabalenka's dominant performance in the Cincinnati Open showcased her love for tennis, as she enjoyed playing the sport she's passionate about. Despite Pegula's ambition to follow in Goolagong Cawley's footsteps and win both the Canadian Open and Cincinnati Open in a season, Sabalenka's mastery of tennis techniques, such as her powerful serves and accurate first-serve percentage, made tennis an unattainable victory for Pegula during their match.
