- England's Curry 'curled up and cried' after serious injury
- TikTok battles US ban threat in court
- Glamorgan approach Hollywood's Reynolds and McElhenney over Hundred investment
- League Cup still 'significant' for Man Utd boss Ten Hag
- Brazil's farmers fret over fires and drought
- Top Biden aide says US economy at 'turning point'
- US military says withdrawal from Niger is complete
- Iran president vows to ensure morality police don't 'bother' women
- Bayern set sights on dream home Champions League final
- Toll hits 17 as Storm Boris lashes central Europe
- Hamas chief says ready for 'long war' in Gaza
- Suspect in Trump assassination attempt charged with gun crimes
- Iran's new president vows to ensure morality police don't 'bother' women
- Australia put teenage quick Beardman on standby for England ODIs
- Americans, Swiss snatch lifeline in Louis Vuitton Cup
- Stock markets mixed before Fed decision
- Trump blames Biden and Harris 'rhetoric' for assassination bids
- Ex-BBC anchor avoids jail over 'repugnant' images of children
- Brentford forward Wissa out for 'a couple of months'
- Titanic shipbuilder sinks back into trouble
- Where in the world is closest to becoming a '15-minute city'?
- Russia evacuates border villages in Kursk region
- US election in newly volatile territory after Trump alleged assassination bid
- UK PM Starmer praises Italy's Meloni for reducing illegal migration
- France probes online threats against Afghan taekwondo fighter
- Sinner hires Djokovic's ex-fitness coach after dope test row
- Swifties raise $40k in wake of Trump post hating on star
- Fear and tears as Storm Boris wrecks Czech town
- Stock markets waver before Fed decision
- Storm Boris unleashes central Europe flooding, toll hits 15
- Penpix of candidates to succeed Bach as IOC President
- Azerbaijan Grand Prix - three things we learned
- AC Milan midfielder Bennacer out for four months
- British politics and fashion collide at London Fashion Week
- French YouTuber hits peak with Everest documentary
- Athletics legend Coe vies with six rivals for IOC presidency
- Ex-BBC anchor Huw Edwards avoids jail over 'repugnant' child images
- Bellingham, Tchouameni back for Madrid's Champions League opener
- Thierry Breton: France's bulldozer at the EU crashes out
- Stock markets diverge before Fed as China woes weigh
- Shanghai cleans up after strongest storm in decades hits Chinese megacity
- French jihadist linked to Charlie Hebdo attackers goes on trial
- Bombshell as France's Breton slams door on EU commission
- African players in Europe: Wissa 22-second goal in vain
- Storm Boris unleashes central Europe flooding, toll hits 11
- Man City fight to avoid severe sanctions as 'trial of the century' begins
- UK PM Starmer meets Italy's Meloni for illegal immigration talks
- Japan celebrates historic Emmys triumph for 'Shogun'
- Van Dijk urges Liverpool to hit back after 'unacceptable' Forest loss
- Ex-BBC anchor Huw Edwards to be sentenced over indecent child images
Sabalenka dedicates US Open to family 'who never gave up' on dream
Aryna Sabalenka dedicated her US Open title to her family who "never gave up on my dream" after a third Grand Slam title was achieved in a year of personal torment.
World number two Sabalenka defeated Jessica Pegula 7-5, 7-5 to add a maiden New York crown to her back-to-back Australian Open titles.
This year's US Open was the first Grand Slam she had played since the death of her former boyfriend in March.
Ice hockey player Konstantin Koltsov, once a star of the NHL, died from apparent suicide at the age of 42.
Five years ago, Sabalenka's father Sergiy passed away from meningitis at just 43.
"After I lost my father, it has always been my goal to put our family name in the history of tennis," said the 26-year-old Belarusian.
"Every time I see my name on that trophy, I'm so proud of myself, I'm proud of my family that they never gave up on my dream and that they were doing everything they could to keep me going.
"I had this opportunity in life so it really means a lot. It has always been my dream."
On Saturday, Sabalenka summoned her familiar weapons of super-charged serve and brutal groundstrokes to defeat sixth-ranked Pegula.
Her 40 winners took her tournament total to 205 with 36 aces. She boasted the third fastest serve of the competition of 191.5 km/h (119 mph).
"I know that I have to go for it. That's the only way it works for me," said Sabalenka.
"Every time I stop my arms and the ball flies in the stands, so a long time ago I decided for myself in those important moments I just have to go for it, I have to swing."
Saturday's defeat, meanwhile, came during a rollercoaster year for former world number three Pegula.
After complaining of feeling burnt-out after the Australian Open, she was laid low by a rib injury which forced her to sit out the European clay court swing, including the French Open.
She marked her return to action by winning the grass-court title in Berlin.
"In Berlin I was super fresh and wanting to win these matches, and kind of fired up," said Pegula.
After second-round losses at Wimbledon and the Paris Olympics, Pegula raced to the Toronto title and finished runner-up to Sabalenka in Cincinnati.
She ended the US summer hardcourt season with 15 wins in 17 matches.
- Pegula takes confidence -
Pegula had lost in Grand Slam quarter-finals six times before finally breaking through to this year's US Open championship match.
Four of those losses came against the eventual champions.
In 2022, she fell to Asheigh Barty at the Australian Open and to Iga Swiatek at both Wimbledon and the US Open.
At Wimbledon last year, it was Marketa Vondrousova who defeated her in the last eight before the Czech went on to capture the title.
"I've lost again to a really good player today," she said on Saturday.
"I lost to girls that pretty much won the tournament every time. I had a rough start to the year and I didn't really expect to be doing this well in the hard court swing, and I was able to kind of flip that script."
"I will take a lot of confidence from this."
H.Seidel--BTB