Sabalenka powers past Pegula to claim Cincinnati title

Aryna Sabalenka ended Jessica Pegula‘s quest for a Toronto-Cincinnati double in emphatic fashion, snapping the American’s nine-match winning streak with a commanding 6-3 7-5 victory in the Cincinnati Open final.

The third-seeded Sabalenka dominated the first set, quickly securing a 4-1 lead and never facing a break point, while Pegula managed to win just 17% of her return points.

Sabalenka carried this momentum into the second set, breaking Pegula immediately and consolidating with a love hold. Just as it seemed Sabalenka was cruising to victory, Pegula mounted a comeback, leveling the set at 5-5. However, the American’s resurgence was brief, as the Belarusian quickly broke back and sealed…