Aryna Sabalenka delivered a masterclass in power tennis, defeating Jessica Pegula 6-3, 7-5 to claim the Cincinnati Open title . The Belarusian’s dominant serve and fierce forehands sent a clear warning to rivals ahead of the U.S. Open, which kicks off next week.
Sabalenka, a two-time Australian Open champion, lost just nine points on her first serve and fired 10 aces . Despite a brief second-set stumble where she gifted Pegula a break point, she swiftly reclaimed control, sealing the match with a crowd-pleasing kiss-blowing celebration .
Pegula, fresh off a title defense in Toronto, struggled with five double faults and couldn’t match Sabalenka’s intensity. The win propels Sabalenka to World No. 2 ahead of Flushing Meadows .
. The Belarusian’s dominant serve and fierce forehands sent a clear warning to rivals ahead of the U.S. Open, which kicks off next week.
. Despite a brief second-set stumble where she gifted Pegula a break point, she swiftly reclaimed control, sealing the match with a crowd-pleasing kiss-blowing celebration 
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