Aryna Sabalenka harnessed her powerful serve to subdue American Jessica Pegula 6-3 7-5 and win the Cincinnati Open on Monday (August 19), sending a message ahead of the year’s final major in New York.
The twice Australian Open champion dropped only nine points on serve and hit 10 aces as she overcame some jitters late in the second set in an otherwise confident performance to pick up her sixth WTA 1000 title.
Pegula had appeared to be in good form after she retained her title in Toronto earlier this month but she struggled with her serve, with five double faults, as her nine-match unbeaten run came to an end.
The performance removed any possible doubt that Sabalenka is one of the hot favorites in Flushing, despite a shoulder injury earlier this season that forced her to miss Wimbledon.
She cruised through Cincinnati without dropping a set — including against the world number one Iga Swiatek — and will be out for revenge in New York after finishing runner-up last year.
