Aryna Sabalenka was recently spotted in a dazzling red gown with her US Open trophy during the champion's photoshoot. The Belarusian defeated home favorite Jessica Pegula to secure her third Major singles title.
Sabalenka continued her dominance from the North American hard-court swing into the US Open final, defeating Pegula in straight sets in an hour and 53 minutes. After edging the first set 7-5, the Belarusian raced to a 3-0 lead in the second.
Pegula responded with a five-game surge and served for the set at 5-4, but the World No. 2 regained control, closing out the match at 7-5 to secure the title.
Sabalenka dropped just one set on her way to the US Open final, against No. 29 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova in the third round. With her victory on the Arthur Ashe Stadium, the World No. 2 improved her win-loss record to 27-1 across the last four Majors on hard courts. She is also currently on a 12-match winning streak.
Following her emphatic triumph against Jessica Pegula, Aryna Sabalenka was spotted in a stunning red gown with her US Open trophy, during the champion's celebration.
Watch the Belarusian during the trophy photoshoot below:
The official handle of the US Open also shared Sabalenka's celebration on Instagram. The 26-year-old was all smiles, enjoying the moment and posing with her trophy.
Sabalenka's 40 winners in comparison with Pegula's 17 also played a crucial role in her victory. Moreover, she also won 18 of her 23 points on the nets.
Aryna Sabalenka on winning the US Open title
In the post-match press conference, Sabalenka expressed her delight at winning the US Open, revealing that it had always been her dream to hold the trophy.
"It's also very special place here, the US Open. I also had a lot of tough losses in the past. I was always hoping that one day I'll be able to hold this beautiful trophy. It's been always my dream," Sabalenka said (via WTA).
She emphasized the importance of winning the trophy, highlighting that she never gave up on her goal of achieving it.
"That's why it's very special, because no matter what, every time I was coming back stronger, and I was learning, I never gave up on this dream, and yeah, you know, it means a lot," she added.
By winning the 2024 US Open, Sabalenka became the first woman to win two hard-court slams in a season since Angelique Kerber in 2016.