By Humberto Viera
08 Sep 2024, 07:55 AM EDT
Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, after being crowned champion of the US Open, said that winning the New York tournament had always been one of her main goals in tennis.
“My God, I have no words right now. So many times I thought I was so close to winning the US Open title, which has always been one of my dreams. I have finally won this beautiful trophy and it means a lot to me,” she said emotionally at the awards ceremony in a press conference reported by EFE.
World number 2 Sabalenka defeated sixth-ranked American Jessica Pegula by a score of 7-5, 7-5 in a match that lasted one hour and 53 minutes.
This is the third Grand Slam title of the Minsk-born player’s career and her first US Open, an important achievement for her after losing the final last year to Coco Gauff.
Speaking about the tournament, Sabalenka said that the last two weeks had been “very difficult”, highlighting the quality of her opponent. Regarding Pegula, she said she was “more than sure” that the American, who was playing in her first major final, will win a Grand Slam in the future. She even mentioned that in the second set, while her opponent was threatening to force a third set, “I was honestly praying to get this victory…”, she commented with humor.
Speaking about her past experiences in New York, where she reached the semi-finals four times in a row, Sabalenka stressed the importance of perseverance.
“It’s going to sound cliché, but it’s about not giving up on your dreams, about keeping trying and keeping working hard. If you really work hard and sacrifice everything for your dream, one day you’re going to achieve it,” she said, emphasizing the pride she felt for her efforts. “I’m super proud of myself. I never say it, but I’m really super proud of myself and my team,” she added.
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