WORLD number two Aryna Sabalenka is now a three-time Grand Slam winner after triumphing in the US Open final over the weekend. The Belarusian star has won the past two Australian Open titles, and now has a third hardcourt major to add to her collection, going one better than her US Open runner-up performance 12 months ago to lift the trophy aloft.

Sabalenka won the title after defeating local hope and world number six Jessica Pegula 7-5 7-5 in a commanding performance. While the American was able to stick with her for the most part, the second ranked star showed her class to break late in each set and ensured she would take it out in an hour and 53 minutes.

The Belarusian hit a massive 40 winners to Pegula’s 17, while committing 12 more unforced errors (34-22), though she was able to control play at the net, winning 78 per cent of her approaches, while Pegula was not as efficient with a far lower 36 per cent success rate.

Pegula struck the first blow in the opening set to go a break ahead at 2-1, only for Sabalenka to reel off four consecutive games and move to 5-2 in the set. The Belarusian served for the first set in the ninth game, but after saving one break point, lost the second with an unforced error. However the next game, Sabalenka saved a game point against with a nice forehand volley winner, and eventually broke and then served out the first set.

Between the last two games of the first set and first three of the second, Sabalenka was able to build momentum to win five consecutive games, only for Pegula to again go on a tear and win five consecutive games herself. Just when it looked like the American would win the second set and force a decider, she made a few crucial errors in the 10th game, opening the door for Sabalenka who would win the last four games of the match, and claim the championship.

The world number two said she was pleased with how she was able to deal with the pressure of falling behind in both sets.

“I thought that I will be thinking a lot about previous years here, because I had a lot of tough lessons here, the US Open, very difficult one, I would say, especially the last year,” Sabalenka said post-match.

“Honestly, today I just kept reminding myself that this is the US Open final, of course she’s going to fight really hard for it and it’s not going to be easy, and I have to work really hard to get it.

“In those tough moments, I was just trying to stay strong and trying to remind myself that I have been through a lot and I’m strong enough to hold under this pressure.”

While renowned as a baseliner, Sabalenka said she had been working on different elements of her game, and was proud of her use on approach, and winning 18 of 23 points.

“It’s really good to have these options in your pocket,” she said.. “Like, okay, sometimes you don’t feel your best on the baseline and you can just go for a slice or a dropshot or come to the net.

“I’ve been always working on this variation on the court. I’m really glad that I’m brave enough to use these tools in those key moments. I think that’s really important to always [be] improving yourself. I feel I put even more pressure on the opponents when they see I’m not only hard hitter, I can also play with some touch. So we always work on that assets of my game.”