The 4 women to complete Cincinnati-US Open double: Aryna Sabalenka emulates Serena Williams
Aryna Sabalenka came into the US Open as the favourite for the title – and delivered in style.
The world No 2 dropped just one set on her way to a third Grand Slam singles title, downing Jessica Pegula in Saturday’s final to win her first title in New York.
Sabalenka came into the US Open in a fine run of form, having won the Cincinnati Open just a few weeks back.
However, that was no guarantee of success, with the Belarusian now just the fourth woman since Cincinnati returned to tour two decades ago to win both titles in the same season.
2010: Kim Clijsters
Former world No 1 Clijsters made history 14 years ago by becoming the first woman to complete this elusive double.
The Belgian was the fourth seed in Cincinnati and claimed her first and only title at the tournament, rallying from a set down to battle past Maria Sharapova in the final.
That set Clijsters up nicely for the US Open, where she was the reigning champion.
After rallying from a set down to defeat Venus Williams in a classic semi-final, she claimed her third and final title at Flushing Meadows with a dominant final victory versus Vera Zvonareva.
2014: Serena Williams
It has been a decade since Williams won her sixth and final US Open title in 2014 – a year that also saw her claim the first of two titles in Cincinnati.
Having lost the final in 2013, the then-world No 1 captured one of the few titles to have eluded her with a straight-sets victory over Ana Ivanovic in the championship match.
That was followed by an empathic run in New York, not dropping a set on her way to the title.
The American breezed past the likes of Flavia Pennetta and Ekaterina Makarova before beating Caroline Wozniacki in the final.
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2023: Coco Gauff
You only have to turn back the clock 12 months for the third time that someone completed this double, with Gauff triumphing at both tournaments in 2023.
The US star won the first WTA 1000 title of her career in Cincinnati a year ago, shocking world No 1 Iga Swiatek in the semi-final before downing Karolina Muchova in the final.
A few weeks later, she sealed her first Grand Slam triumph.
Gauff beat Muchova in the last four, before rallying from a set down against Sabalenka in the final to lift the title.
2024: Aryna Sabalenka
Following in Gauff’s footsteps, Sabalenka has swept the two biggest titles this US hard-court summer in style.
Working her way back from injury, the Belarusian did not drop a set on her way to a first title in Cincinnati – defeating Pegula in straight sets in the final.
Ekaterina Alexandrova proved to be the only player who took a set off Sabalenka in New York, with the world No 2 gaining revenge for her final defeat a year ago.
Sabalenka defeated Emma Navarro in the last four, before again beating Pegula to lift the title.
