Aryna Sabalenka claimed her first title since her Australian Open triumph in January by defeating Jessica Pegula in the Cincinnati Open final. The Belarusian, who did not drop a set throughout the tournament, secured a 6-3, 7-5 victory in just 76 minutes, marking the 15th title of her career and her sixth at the WTA 1,000 level.
This victory ended a nine-match winning streak for American Pegula, who had recently defended her Canadian Open title. Sabalenka, who missed Wimbledon due to a shoulder injury, expressed her relief and pride in overcoming her injury fears to achieve this victory.
With this win, Sabalenka will rise to world number two, overtaking Coco Gauff. She dominated the first set and, despite a brief hiccup when serving for the title in the second set, managed to close out the match effectively.
Sabalenka, who also defeated world number one Iga Swiatek in the semi-final, is now set to compete in the US Open, beginning on August 26.
