Jannik Sinner made history by becoming the first Italian man to win the US Open, defeating American Taylor Fritz 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 in the final on Monday. Sinner’s powerful baseline play overwhelmed Fritz in front of a packed Arthur Ashe Stadium, where fans had hoped to see an end to the 21-year US men’s Grand Slam drought.
The victory marked Sinner’s second Grand Slam title of the year, following his win at the Australian Open. Despite controversy earlier in the season over positive tests for an anabolic agent, Sinner maintained his focus and played brilliantly throughout the tournament. “We just went day-by-day, trying to practice well, even on the days off, believing in ourselves which is the most important,” Sinner said after his win.
Fritz struggled at the start, handing Sinner an early break with an unforced error but managed to fight back briefly. However, Sinner’s precision and power proved too much, with a perfectly placed drop shot sealing the match.
In the women’s final, Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka finally captured her first US Open title by defeating American Jessica Pegula 7-5, 7-5. Sabalenka, who had previously come close but fallen short in past tournaments, showed resilience as she fought back from a breakdown in both sets. “So many times I thought I was so close to get [the] US Open title. Finally, I get this beautiful trophy,” Sabalenka said.
Pegula, appearing in her first Grand Slam final, put up a strong fight, especially in the second set, rallying from a 3-0 deficit to briefly take the lead. However, Sabalenka’s power and precision ultimately proved too much. The match was played under a closed roof due to rain, adding to the intense atmosphere of the showdown.
