Novak Djokovic congratulates 'tigress' Aryna Sabalenka on maiden US Open triumph
Tennis legend Novak Djokovic extended his congratulations to Aryna Sabalenka, who clinched her third Grand Slam title at the 2024 US Open. Sabalenka triumphed over sixth seed and home favorite Jessica Pegula with a score of 7-5, 7-5 in an intense final that lasted an hour and 53 minutes.
Sabalenka’s journey to the US Open title was nothing short of remarkable. The World No. 2 faced a series of formidable opponents, including Priscilla Hon, Lucia Bronzetti, Ekaterina Alexandrova, Elise Mertens, Paris Olympics gold medalist Zheng Qinwen, Emma Navarro, and finally, sixth-seeded Jessica Pegula.
Djokovic took to Instagram stories on September 8, 2024, to share his admiration for Sabalenka’s achievement. The Serb posted a short clip of the Belarusian making the claw pose with the US Open ball crew during the photoshoot at the trophy presentation ceremony.
"Congratulations Tigress," the Serb wrote on Instagram.
Unfortunately for the Serb, the 2024 US Open did not go as planned. The defending champion was eliminated in the third round by 28th seed Alexei Popyrin 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4. This unexpected exit marked a significant setback for Djokovic, who had hoped to add another Grand Slam title to his illustrious career.
Aryna Sabalenka jokes about taking on Novak Djokovic in a head-to-head matchup
Aryna Sabalenka gave a playful response when asked about her chances in a hypothetical match against Novak Djokovic.
Earlier this year, before the North American swing, Sabalenka engaged in light-hearted banter during a fun Q&A session on social media with a fan, who asked if she could beat the Serb in a one-on-one match, the Belarusian confidently replied:
"Easy call 😂," Aryna Sabalenka said via Instagram stories.
Previously, Sabalenka humorously credited her success at the 2024 Australian Open to brief interactions with Djokovic the year before. In a pre-tournament interview at the Dubai Tennis Championships, she was reminded that training alongside the Serb and his team last year coincided with her consecutive Australian Open victories.
Upon hearing this, Sabalenka jokingly gave the Serb credit for her achievements.
"I guess I need to speak more often to Novak maybe. Maybe that's why I'm winning. I need to talk about that," Aryna Sabalenka said. "But, no, we didn't joke around about the topic."
Aryna Sabalenka recently qualified for her fourth consecutive appearance at the WTA Finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.