Aryna Sabalenka has won the first US Open title of her career after ousting America's Jessica Pegula in a tense final.

Sabalenka was tested thoroughly by the No.6 seed before prevailing a 7-5, 7-5 winner at Flushing Meadows.

The Belarusian looked to have the match comfortably in the bag when she raced out to a 3-0 lead in the second set before Pegula stormed back.

Pegula whipped the home crowd into a frenzy by winning the next four games and put herself in a position to serve for the set, before Sabalenka eventually broke back to close out the match.

"I'm speechless right now," Sabalenka said after claiming the title.

"So many times I thought I so close to getting the US Open title, it's been a dream of mine and finally I get this beautiful trophy. It's been a really tough couple of weeks. 

"Everything I'm thinking, I'm remembering all those tough losses here in the past. If you really work hard and you sacrifice everything for a dream, you're going to get it one day. 

"In that second set I was just praying, I was literally praying, and you're talking about giving me one set."

The US Open is Sabalenka's third grand slam title win of her career after her back-to-back Australian Open triumphs over the last two years.

By finally claiming the title in New York, Sabalenka exorcised a host of personal US Open demons.

They include semifinal exits in both 2021, against Leylah Fernandez, and 2022, against world No.1 Iga Swiatek.

But Sabalenka's biggest US Open setback was in last year's final when she was rattled by the Ashe crowd, blew a set advantage and was defeated by Coco Gauff. 

Like Gauff, Pegula is an American, but the spectators were far more generous toward Sabalenka in this year's final , applauding her best efforts and even obliging when she waved her arms to ask for extra noise. Afterward, Sabalenka thanked the fans for cheering for her.

"I know how tough it is to lose in the final, but you're showing some amazing tennis, and I'm more than sure that one day, you're going to get one," Sabalenka told Pegula during the on-court ceremony, then paused and added with a chuckle: "I mean, not (just) one. Maybe more. But let's start from one grand slam."

"Was able to find some good tennis, just wasn’t quite able to sustain it," Pegula said. "She played some big tennis in big moments.

"She’s super powerful. Goes for her shots. She’s definitely not going to give you anything.

"I was happy I was able to fight back and give myself a chance, but in the end it wasn’t enough."