CNN
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Aryna Sabalenka completed her preparations for the US Open with an impressive 6-3, 7-5 victory over Jessica Pegula in the final of the Cincinnati Open.
It was as close to a perfect week as Sabalenka could have wished for: The new world number 2 did not drop a single set on her way to her first title since successfully defending her title at the Australian Open in January.
In world number six Pegula, Sabalenka faced perhaps the best-performing player on the WTA Tour. The American went into Monday’s final with a nine-match winning streak following her victory at the Canadian Open in Toronto last week.
Pegula had hoped to become the first woman since Evonne Goolagong Cawley in 1973 to win both the Canadian Open and the Cincinnati Open in the same season, but her attempt at the historic double was thwarted by Sabalenka’s power and precision.
“I would say I’m playing really great tennis,” Sabalenka said afterwards, according to the WTA. “Probably not the best tennis I can play, but I’m definitely on my way there.”
“And with every match I play, I feel better, better and better and hopefully I can continue to raise my level at the US Open and maybe even reach a higher level than before.”
The Belarusian hit ten aces and won 91% of the points with her first serve, prompting Pegula to joke after the match: “With the way you served there, it felt like Serena (Williams) today.”
“I don’t know, maybe I wanted Serena instead of Aryna today,” she added.
Cincinnati is the sixth WTA 1000 title of Sabalenka’s career – the third most among all active players – and she improves her head-to-head record with Pegula to 5-2 ahead of the US Open.
“Incredible weeks,” Pegula said after the game. “Unfortunately, Aryna was too good today. I mean, she played at a really high level and it didn’t seem to get any better. And I had some chances at the end but couldn’t take advantage of them.”
The US Open begins on August 26th.
