Aryna Sabalenka beats Jessica Pegula 7-5 7-5 to win US Open title
It is a third Grand Slam singles title for world number two Sabalenka, who lost in final last year
The Belarusian successfully defended her Australian Open title in January
Sabalenka is the first woman since 2016 to win both hard-court major titles in the same year
American Pegula was competing in first major singles final
Sabalenka 1-2 Pegula*
Annabel Croft
Former British number one on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds
Image source, Getty ImagesI'm not sure I have seen somebody come into their first Grand Slam final and looked so loose and so flowing.
Pegula is taking the bull by the horns and going after everything with conviction and confidence. That's what she is displaying right now.
Sabalenka 1-2 Pegula*
What a return from Jessica Pegula.
She fires the ball straight at the feet of Aryna Sabalenka and the world number two is unable to return.
An early break for the American.
Sabalenka 1-1 Pegula*
Oh what do we have here?
An early chance for Jessica Pegula to break as she leads 15-40 on the Sabalenka serve.
Sabalenka 1-1 Pegula*
Aryna Sabalenka gets up and running with an ace.
The Belarusian executes a drop shot as she looks for a 30-0 lead but Jessica Pegula reads it well and draws level.
*Sabalenka 1-1 Pegula
Annabel Croft
Former British number one on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds
It's so important for Jessica Pegula to settle early in this match and get on the scoreboard.
She looks pretty comfortable right now.
*Sabalenka 1-1 Pegula
Image source, Getty ImagesMuch better from the American.
Jessica Pegula goes on to rattle off a quick four points to hold with relative ease.
That will settle any potential nerves.
*Sabalenka 1-0 Pegula
A fault on first serve and Aryna Sabalenka makes her pay with some consistent forehand shots from the baseline to lead 0-15.
*Sabalenka 1-0 Pegula
Over to Jessica Pegula to show what she can do on serve.
Sabalenka 1-0 Pegula*
Image source, Getty ImagesAnd that's the game.
Some really impressive serving from Aryna Sabalenka to lay down an early statement.
Jessica Pegula is going to have a job on her hands trying to break tonight.
Sabalenka 0-0 Pegula*
Ah, spoke too soon.
An ace from Aryna Sabalenka and she's back to 30-30.
Sabalenka 0-0 Pegula*
Jessica Pegula won the toss and elected to receive first.
That's already starting to look like a good call as Aryna Sabalenka sends her forehand long and Pegula leads 0-30 in this opening game.
Sabalenka v Pegula
Warm-ups complete and we're set to get going in this final.
It's a good job the roof is closed too. We've just seen shots of the weather outside and the rain is coming down in buckets.
Nice and dry inside as Aryna Sabalenka is on serve first.
Sabalenka v Pegula
BBC Radio 5 Live
If you're based in the UK then you can also listen to commentary of the final on BBC Radio 5 Live.
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Sabalenka v Pegula
World number two Aryna Sabalenka speaking in the tunnel ahead of the final: "I definitely have a lot of belief that I can do a little bit better than I did last year and I'm really happy with the level that I have played throughout the whole tournament.
"I really hope that I can keep that level or even better."
On the most challenging aspects of Jessica Pegula's game: "She is playing some great tennis and very aggressive, flat balls and really great serving. She is a challenging player to play and I'm really looking forward to this battle."
Sabalenka v Pegula
Sabalenka v Pegula
American sixth seed Jessica Pegula speaking in the tunnel ahead of the final: "I feel pretty good today. I guess I'm just trying not to shy away from the emotions but just let it all sink over me and then go out there and try and play some good tennis."
On what she can do to counter Aryna Sabalenka's game: "I don't know, sometimes there is not much you can do. I felt like that in Cincinnati, she was serving really well but I think maybe focus on my first serve percentage, really staying up there and then doing as much as I can on the return games."
Sabalenka v Pegula
Unsurprisingly, there is a huge roar from the crowd inside Arthur Ashe stadium as Jessica Pegula makes her way out on to court.
How much is that support going to play a part tonight?
Sabalenka v Pegula
Image source, ReutersAryna Sabalenka features in her 100th women's singles Grand Slam match tonight and could mark it with her third Grand Slam crown.
Of the players who started their career during the Open era, Sabalenka is the fourth to compete in a women's Grand Slam final at the same time as bringing up a century after Chris Evert, Lindsay Davenport and Victoria Azarenka.
Sabalenka v Pegula
We're not far away from this final getting going but first, in typical American fashion, we've got a bit of pageantry.
Country singer Mickey Guyton has just performed a lovely rendition of God Bless America.
Sabalenka v Pegula
Martina Navratilova
Nine-time Wimbledon singles champion on Sky Sports
Image source, Getty ImagesJessica Pegula is a good defender but she plays user-friendly tennis in that she doesn't change the pace that much. She's got to add in her sliced backhand, she's more aggressive, she's hitting the ball harder than she has been and moves great.
It's nothing really disruptive so how does she disrupt Aryna Sabalenka?
She has to get a lot of first serves in because Aryna will attack the second serve and she needs to use that slice more than perhaps she wants to just to give her a different look, different pace, different spin.
