The 26-year-old world number 2 from Belarus was very emotional after her 7:5,7:5 win over the American Jessica Pegula in the final. She cried in the stands in the arms of her boyfriend and repeatedly hit the lucky lion tattoo on her coach’s bald head. In the moment of triumph, Sabalenka also thought about her personal fate.
“After losing my father, it was always my goal to write our family name in the history books of tennis,” Sabalenka said after the nerve-wracking thriller. “Every time I see my name on this trophy, I am so proud of myself, so proud of my family, that I never gave up on my dream.”
Her father died when Sabalenka was 21. She had promised him that she would win two Grand Slams before she turned 25. Now the two-time Australian Open winner celebrated title number three in a blue, white and red confetti shower with the longed-for silver trophy from the US Open in her arms. A year ago, she left the US Open in tears of disappointment after losing in the final to US crowd favorite Coco Gauff.
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Photo: ANGELA WEISS (AFP)
Source: Nachrichten
