Aryna Sabalenka and Jannik Sinner have emerged as the champions of the 2024 US Open, marking their second grand slam victories for the year after they won the Australian Grand Slam back in January.
Sabalenka, the world No. 2 from Belarus, clinched her first US Open title by defeating American Jessica Pegula in a tightly contested final, with a score of 7-5, 7-5. This victory not only secured her third Grand Slam title but also served as redemption after her loss to Coco Gauff in the previous year’s final. Sabalenka exuded resilience, especially in the second set, where she overcame a five-game deficit to secure the win.
She credited her experience from last year’s final, emphasizing the importance of managing emotions and focusing on her game amidst the crowd’s energy. The win now puts her as one of the leading players in women’s tennis and will, no doubt, increase her visibility as it could set her on a path back to the top of the rankings.
On the men’s side, 23-year-old Italian sensation Jannik Sinner captured his first US Open title by defeating American Taylor Fritz in an exciting three-set match, with a final score of 6-3 6-4 7-5. This victory marks Sinner’s second career Grand Slam title and would also ensure he remains world No. 1 very well into the coming months.
Sinner’s journey to the title included defeating several top players along the way while displaying great mental strength, as he did not allow controversies around a failed doping test, of which he was cleared, to distract him from the ultimate prize.
Post-match, he reflected on this part of his journey, stating, “This title means so much because the last period of my career was not easy. It [the investigation] was and still is on my mind. It’s not that it’s gone, but when I’m on court, I try to handle the situation the best possible way.”
