CINCINNATI — Aryna Sabalenka clinched her second title of the 2024 season and her first since the Australian Open by overcoming Jessica Pegula 6-3, 7-5 in the Cincinnati Open final. This victory marks Sabalenka’s 15th career title and her sixth WTA 1000 title, a significant milestone in her career.
With this win, Sabalenka joins an elite group of players. Only Iga Swiatek and Victoria Azarenka have amassed more WTA 1000 titles, each with ten. Sabalenka’s victory in Cincinnati is her first WTA 1000 title since the 2023 Madrid Open and her first on hard courts since her triumph at the 2020 Doha event.
Reflecting on her performance, Sabalenka expressed confidence in her game, stating, “I would say that I’m really playing great tennis, probably not the best tennis I can play, but I’m getting there.” She added, “And with every match I play, I feel better and better. Hopefully, at the US Open, I can keep building on this level and maybe even reach a higher level than I used to play.”
This win not only adds to Sabalenka’s impressive resume but also propels her to No.2 on the PIF WTA Rankings, overtaking Coco Gauff. She will also climb to No.2 on the PIF Race to the WTA Finals Leaderboard, surpassing Elena Rybakina.
Sabalenka’s victory ended Pegula’s impressive nine-match win streak, which had started with her title at the National Bank Open the previous week. Pegula was aiming to become the first woman in over five decades to win both the Canadian and Cincinnati titles in the same season. Her journey to the final, which included a semifinal win over Paula Badosa, had already made her only the third American in the Open Era to reach the finals of both tournaments in a single year, joining the ranks of Serena Williams and Rosie Casals.
As the tennis world turns its attention to the upcoming US Open, Sabalenka’s form and confidence suggest she will be a formidable contender, continuing to build on her already impressive career achievements.
