"Best player in the world this season!" - Carlos Alcaraz, Victoria Azarenka and others celebrate Aryna Sabalenka's phenomenal US Open 2024 triumph
Aryna Sabalenka’s US Open 2024 success was celebrated by several tennis players, including Carlos Alcaraz, Ons Jabeur, and Victoria Azarenka. At the event, the Belarusian clinched her second Grand Slam title of the season and third over all, following her victories at the Australian Open in 2023 and 2024.
Sabalenka, who has made the semifinals or better at the US Open since 2021, was defending her runner-up finish from 2023 at the New York Slam. She missed out on the champion’s trophy last year, falling to home favorite Coco Gauff in the title clash. The 26-year-old was thus overjoyed at avoiding a similar fate against yet another American opponent, Jessica Pegula this time.
Aryna Sabalenka, who dismissed Priscilla Hon, Lucia Bronzetti, Ekaterina Alexandrova, Elise Mertens, Zheng Qinwen, and Emma Navarro in her previous clashes, halted Pegula with a hard-fought 7-5, 7-5 win in the final on Saturday, September 7.
The World No. 2 is now on a 12-match unbeaten streak, having won the WTA 1000 Cincinnati Open title a few weeks ago. Interestingly, Aryna Sabalenka got the better of Jessica Pegula in that final, too.
Several tennis players were delighted to see Sabalenka finally get her hands on the US Open trophy.
"Drinks on @SabalenkaA for everyone? What a terrific final! The beauty of best of 3 sets when each game from the jump means so much!" Pam Shriver wrote, recalling the champion's previous promise to US Open fans.
"What a match," former World No. 4 Caroline Garcia said.
"Congrats, @SabalenkaA ! Amazing level @JPegula incredible performance not only during the US OPEN but also the weeks before. Happy to see you back at this great level! Good luck for the rest of the season," she added, highlighting Pegula's Canadian Open triumph and Cincinnati run.
"Amazing win for @SabalenkaA. Congratulations. Best player in the world this season!" Sabalenka's compatriot and fellow two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka said.
"What a match ladies. Congrats @SabalenkaA what a year. Great tournament @JPegula. incredible US swing," three-time Grand Slam finalist Ons Jabeur wrote.
"Congratulations to @SabalenkaA for her 3rd major and 1st @usopen win today- well deserved!!!" 18-time Grand Slam champion Martina Navratilova said.
Carlos Alcaraz, too, celebrated Aryna Sabalenka's triumph.
Here are a few more reactions from tennis players:
"I'm just super proud of myself" – Aryna Sabalenka on winning US Open 2024
Aryna Sabalenka scripted her most successful Grand Slam season yet, starting with her Australian Open title defense and capping it off with her maiden US Open win. She thus won 18 of her 19 Major matches, reaching the quarterfinals of the French Open and notably sitting out the Wimbledon Championships due to a shoulder injury.
Besides skipping Wimbledon, the World No. 2 also opted out of the Paris Olympics—a sacrifice she said she “didn’t regret.”
During her on-court interview following the win, Sabalenka gave herself a pat on the back for overcoming her struggles by going all in.
"And, if you're really working hard and you're sacrificing everything for your dream, you're gonna get it one day," she said.
"So I'm just, I'm just super proud of myself. I never say that. But really guys, I'm super proud of myself," she added.
By winning the 2024 US Open, Aryna Sabalenka became only the second woman this decade to win multiple Majors in a calendar year, after her arch-rival Iga Swiatek’s 2022 French Open and US Open sweep.