Pegula's bid for U.S. Open title falls short

New York (WGR Sports Radio 550) - After a whirlwind four days in which she knocked off the world No. 1 ranked female tennis player and advanced to her first career U.S. Open final match, Jessica Pegula's hopes of winning it all were dashed by the No. 2 ranked Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, who was able to subdue Pegula 7-5, 7-5 on Pegula's home turf Saturday.

The first set was a set of runs. After Pegula jumped out to a 2-1 lead in the set, Sabalenka rattled off four consecutive games won to jump out to a 5-2 advantage. Pegula would claw her way back with three straight wins of her own, but she would ultimately surrender the final two games of the set to Sabalenka, falling 7-5 in the first set.

The second set was also defined by runs. Sabalenka sprang out to a 3-0 lead. Undeterred by the deficit, Pegula turned five consecutive games in her favor, taking a 5-3 lead in the set.

However, Sabalenka would not relinquish another game for the remainder of the set, ultimately winning the set 7-5, winning the match, and securing her third Grand Slam title, and first U.S. Open title, after falling short to Coco Gauff in last year's U.S. Open final.

Entering the match, Sabalenka had been the only opponent to defeat Pegula in her previous 16 matches, at the finals of the Cincinnati Open last month, where she won 6-3, 7-5.

Sabalenka has now won 12 straight matches and improves her head-to-head record against Pegula to 6-2.

In her on-court interview following the match, Pegula was complimentary of her opponent.

"I wish she would have at least let me get one set," said Pegula, chuckling.

She continued, "She's been playing some amazing hard court tennis, and if not the best hard court player in the world, so I knew it was going to be challenging and tough."

Pegula was pleased with the fight she showed, despite the losing effort.

"I was happy I was able to fight back and give myself a chance, but in the end in the end it wasn't enough," Pegula said.