By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Monday September 9, 2024
new york –Aryna Sabalenka made a promise to herself when her father Sergiy died prematurely in 2019 due to meningitis.
To fulfill his dream and become the best in the world.
After winning her third major title, Sabalenka once again made it clear that he is still No. 1 in her mind, five years after his death.
When asked what her place in sports history is after winning her third major title, Sabalenka said:
“After losing my father, it has always been my goal to put our family name in tennis history. Every time I see my name on that trophy, I’m so proud of myself, I’m proud of my family for never giving up on my dream and doing everything they could to keep me going.”
Sabalenka, who is 27-1 in her last 28 Grand Slam matches on hard courts, is now fourth on the active list of WTA Grand Slam title winners behind only Venus Williams (7), Iga Swiatek ( 5) and Naomi Osaka (4).
She defeated Jessica Pegula, 7-5, 7-5 on Saturday at Arthur Ashe Stadium to cement her status as the best hard-court player in women’s tennis.
“It’s always been my dream,” she said. “I still can’t believe I was able to achieve, just like me and my team, we were able to achieve so much already.”
