Jessica Pegula vs. Aryna Sabalenka score, results, highlights: Sabalenka sweeps Pegula for first US Open title

David Suggs

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Jessica Pegula vs. Aryna Sabalenka score, results, highlights: Sabalenka sweeps Pegula for first US Open title image

Aryna Sabalenka started the 2024 major season with a bang, hoisting a Grand Slam title after vanquishing one of tennis' top players on a hard court.

She ended the year in a similar manner, this time downing No. 6-ranked Jessica Pegula in straight sets to capture her first US Open championship.

Sabalenka entered Saturday's match a hard-court maven. Since the start of 2023, Sabalenka won 26 of her 27 matches in hard-court Slams. Her strength came from her strength — Sabalenka is the most powerful women's player in the world, blessed with a harrowing serve and a forehand that is faster than any other player, man or woman.

MORE: Why Aryna Sabalenka's coach has tiger tattoo on his forehead at US Open final

That power was on display throughout Saturday's contest. But Sabalenka, 26, showed a different side to her game, too. She used a wide arrange of shots and angles to frustrate Pegula, routinely going to her drop shot to get the 30-year-old moving. She also had some wondrous points at the net, including a stunning leaping effort that crept right beneath Pegula's racket during the second set.

Pegula was game, coaxing a series of unforced errors out of the Belarusian talent. Nevertheless, she couldn't quite come to grips with Sabalenka when the World No. 2 was on form.

With her straight-set win, Sabalenka moved to 37-3 in US Open sets this year. She became the fifth women's player of the Open Era to lift an Australian Open and US Open title in the same calendar year. And she made sure to do so in style, even calling on the pro-Pegula crowd to raise their volume as the match reached its crescendo.

The Sporting News tracked live score updates, results and highlights from Saturday's duel between Pegula and Sabalenka. Below is a record of all that happened at Arthur Ashe Stadium as Sabalenka overcame her prior failures at the site to frolic in confetti.

MORE: Explaining Jessica Pegula's tattoo seen during the 2024 US Open

Jessica Pegula vs. Aryna Sabalenka score

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Jessica Pegula55
Aryna Sabalenka77

Jessica Pegula vs. Aryna Sabalenka live score, results, highlights from 2024 US Open final

(All times Eastern)

Second set: Sabalenka wins, 7-5

6:11 p.m.: Sabalenka does it! She captures her third career major — and first at the US Open!

6:06 p.m.: Sabalenka holds. She wins her third straight game to move one beyond Pegula — and one game from a US Open championship. The pressure is now firmly on Pegula to even things out and send this set to a tiebreak.

6:03 p.m.: It's Sabalenka's turn to break serve! She rallies on the back of that frightening forehand, lacing it beyond Pegula to level things at five games each.

5:58 p.m.: Sabalenka stops the bleeding, holding serve to bring herself one game closer to Pegula. As for the American, her task is a simple one: hold serve as she'll level things at one set apiece.

5:54 p.m.: Pegula holds again! That's her fifth straight victory. She's one game away from sending the match to a decisive third set. Unforced errors are taking hold of Sabalenka's game at the moment. If she can get a handle on that, she could still hoist the title come the end of the day. If she can't, it could be Pegula who nabs the famous trophy.

5:49 p.m.: Pegula breaks again! She's somehow turned it around, going from 0-3 to 4-3 in the blink of an eye. Sabalenka looks to be unraveling at the moment. The crowd is firmly in the American's corner. She's been masterful in the past four games, fending off Sabalenka's power while keeping her composure on the other side of the court.

5:45 p.m.: Pegula takes her third straight game! We're back to even in Flushing!

5:38 p.m.: Pegula breaks serve again! She's one game away from evening things up here at Arthur Ashe!

5:34 p.m.: Big hold by Pegula, who brings the score to 3-1. She overcame a two-game deficit in Set No. 1. Could she do the same to keep her US Open chances alive this time around?

5:30 p.m.: Sabalenka holds once more. Pegula has dropped nine of her last 11 points. She's in danger of seeing her chance at a US Open title slip through her grasp.

5:28 p.m.: Lyles had his say on whether those participating in today's final are competing for a world championship.

5:26 p.m.: That hole gets a bit bigger; Sabalenka broke serve, capitalizing off a Pegula double fault to pull within four games of a US Open title.

5:24 p.m.: Sabalenka opens the second set by holding serve. Pegula starts the second in an early hole.

First set: Sabalenka wins, 7-5

5:18 p.m.: Sabalenka takes the first set! Opted for the drop shot to end the first frame, forcing Pegula into a rushed effort of her own which connected with the net. She's six games away from her third-career major championship.

5:08 p.m.: Sabalenka holds! It took 14 points between the Belarusian and Pegula to determine a winner for the 11th game of the set. Ultimately, Sabalenka did just enough to hold on, finding her range with that abominable backhand.

4:59 p.m.: Pegula levels thing at five! 

4:55 p.m.: Pegula breaks serve! Sabalenka's serve wasn't quite as precise as it had been in the prior games. Now, all Pegula needs to do is hold serve and she can even things up.

4:49 p.m.: Pegula gets one back. Sabalenka will now serve for the set win.

4:46 p.m.: Sabalenka takes her fourth straight game. Pegula put up quite the fight, leveling things up at 40-40. Sabalenka's unruly serve reigned supreme as the game wore on though. It seems the Buffalo native just can't get a grasp of Sabalenka's power thus far.

4:40 p.m.: Sabalenka starting to find her rhythm. Just broke Pegula's serve again, bringing her two games away from a first set victory. She's looked good doing it, too; not only is her strike looking as powerful as ever. She's also firing off occasional drop shots to mystify her American adversary. 

4:35 p.m.: Sabalenka holds serve, overcoming a double-fault to do so. She pulls one ahead of Pegula in Set No. 1.

4:32 p.m.: Sabalenka snatches the break right back from Pegula, bringing things even at 2 after placing a pair of inch-perfect strikes beyond Pegula. She let off a little emotion as she did so, too.

4:28 p.m.: Other notable athletes to lend their presence for Pegula vs. Sabalenka include men's Olympic 100m gold medalist Noah Lyles and Formula One megastar Lewis Hamilton.

4:26 p.m.: Pegual takes Game No. 3, breaking Sabalenka's serve in the process. The Belarusian has looked ever so nervy in the early moments of the contest, racking up four unforced errors in the first three games.

4:23 p.m.: Pegula answers back, firing off a series of strong first serves of her own to even the score at one game apiece.

4:20 p.m.: Sabalenka takes the first game, overcoming a 30-0 hole with her venomous serve.

4:18 p.m.: Indoor matchup for Pegula and Sabalenka. Seems that's just what Pegula wants; it should make things humid and slow down the match as a whole. Given Sabalenka's fiery forehand, that might be just what the American needs.

4:10 p.m.: Both challengers strut onto the surface while wearing headphones. Pegula opted to listen to the crowd as she made her way through the locker room, however. Perhaps the New York native is trying to soak up the experience in her first major final.

4:05 p.m.: Sabalenka has been dominant thus far, dropping just one set en route to the final. She seeks a better result this time around atop Billie Jean King Court.

3:35 p.m.: Once more, the stars are out for today's championship match between No. 6-ranked Jessica Pegula and No. 2-ranked Aryna Sabalenka. Among the first wave of luminaries to touch down on Arthur Ashe Stadium are Stephen Curry, Xandra and Flavor Flav.

3:00 p.m.: It's pretty clear who the Bills — the team who her father owns — are supporting for today's match.

MORE: US Open 2024 scores, full draw, at Flushing Meadows

How to watch Jessica Pegula vs. Aryna Sabalenka

  • TV channel: ESPN
  • Live stream: ESPN+ | fuboTV

ESPN will air the match between Pegula and Sabalenka. Viewers can also find the match on ESPN+ and stream it with Fubo, which offers a free trial.

What time does Jessica Pegula vs. Aryna Sabalenka start?

  • Start time: 4 p.m. ET

The match between Jessica Pegula and Aryna Sabalenka will start at 4 p.m. ET on Saturday, Sept. 7. 

The match will be played on center court inside Arthur Ashe Stadium at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York.

How to watch the US Open in the USA and Canada

US Open matches will be carried by ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews, ESPN+ and Tennis Channel. Matches can be streamed on ESPN+, the ESPN app and Fubo.

TSN will carry matches in Canada, with TSN.ca and the TSN App providing live streaming options.

Below is the full schedule for the television broadcasts of the remaining matches. Coverage will begin at 11 a.m. ET each day for ESPN+ and TSN.ca/the TSN App.

DateTime (ET)RoundUS TV channelCanada TV channel
Thu., Sept. 53-5p.m.Doubles final (mixed)ESPN2TSN5
 7-11 p.m.Semifinals (women)ESPNTSN3/5
Fri., Sept. 6Noon-2 p.m.Doubles final (women)ESPN2TSN4
 3-6 p.m.Semifinals (men)ESPNTSN3/4
 7-11 p.m.Semifinals (men)ESPNTSN3/4
Sat., Sept. 7Noon-2 p.m.Doubles final (men's)ESPN3TSN1
 4-7 p.m.Championship (women)ESPNTSN1/4
Sun., Sept. 82-5:30 p.m.Championship (men)ABCTSN1/4

David Suggs

David Suggs Photo

David Suggs is a content producer at The Sporting News. A long-suffering Everton, Wizards and Commanders fan, he has learned to get used to losing over the years. In his free time, he enjoys skateboarding (poorly), listening to the likes of Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and D’Angelo, and penning short journal entries.