Trophy Presentation | Aryna Sabalenka is Crowned Champion | 2024 US Open

please welcome the participants for tonight's women's singles championship trophy presentation tournament director Stacy [Music] Alister USDA chairman of the board and president Dr Brian hanline representing JP Morgan Chase Chief marketing officer Carla zakim Hassan and celebr El ating the 50th anniversary of her fourth and final US Open win the indomitable Billy Jean King and our host from ESPN Mary Joe Fernandez thank you ladies and gentlemen how about another round of applause for this terrific women's final we will Begin by welcoming future American tennis champions 12-year-old Luca prasara brazes from John macero Tennis Academy Randall's Island and 9-year-old Diana schunker from Saratoga Springs YMCA to begin our Trophy ceremony we'd like to recognize our chair umpire for today's Final and ask James kabang to please step [Applause] forward it is now my pleasure to introduce the chairman of the board and president of the USA Brian Haine Brian thank you Mary Joe Jess you are a powerful voice of inclusion especially for the Asian-American Pacific ey wonderer Community thank you for using tennis as a platform for social awareness and congratulations on advancing to your first Grand Slam singles final we know there's more Grand Slam greatness than you Arena on this same platform last year I noted that you are a player of power and Grace I might add that you are a player who speaks for peace and who has a pretty good sense of humor congratulations on your third Grand Slam singles championship and your first US Open singles Championship to the US Open Staff All The Spectators and everyone connected with the US Open thank you for making this 3-week event so spectacular and for the fans thank you for being the greatest sports fans on the planet and for everyone in the world if you have not done so already go home pick up a tennis racket find a tennis court near you and begin playing tennis the healthiest sport on the the planet that is a journey for life thank you thank you Brian let's talk to our finalist Jessica [Music] Pula J despite this not being the outcome you were looking for you've had an incredible two weeks you beat the world's number one and you broke through and made made your first major final can you reflect on what this journey has been like for you yeah I mean it's been an incredible month for me really um I had a rough start to the year but was really able to turn it around so I mean to be able to to be standing here in my first Grand Slam final and then coming off such a hot summer I mean I didn't expect it so um I'm just you know really grateful for the last you know few weeks of tennis and some incredible matches that I've been able to put together today was another incredible match you were down in both sets you almost turned it around like you did in the semifinal what made it so difficult against Arena tonight oh I wish she would have at least let me get one set god um we had obviously another a tough match in Cincinnati a few weeks ago and she's been playing some amazing Hardcore Tennis and if not the best hardcore player in the world so I knew it was going to be challenging and tough I mean she's super powerful goes for her do she's definitely not going to give you anything and um she can take the racket out of your hand a lot of times so um yeah I was happy I was able to fight back and give myself a chance but in the end it wasn't enough but I'm I'm glad I was able to stay in it and keep giving myself opportunities finally no one gets to This Moment by themselves and you've had great support these two weeks with family your coaches your team what message do you have for them yeah thank you guys over there in my box um thanks to both my coaches Mark and Mark um SE my physio John my trainer my brother sister agent husband um everybody that's in the box today thank you guys so much for supporting me over the last you know well forever but uh also the last couple weeks and the last month it's been crazy and also to I think my parents are also somewhere here I have lots of friends and family that just came in to watch that are all kind of scattered around I don't really know where they are but um thank you guys so much for coming and supporting me I mean it's been a long journey so to to be able to have your sport here in the US at my home slam is amazing thank [Music] you congratulations chess on behalf of the USA Brian hline will present you with your trophy and now let's talk to our [Music] champion Arena congratulations you've come so close in the past you have two Australian Open titles but what does it mean to Wi your first US Open oh my God I'm I'm speechless right now because as you said so many [Music] times yeah as you said uh so many times I like I I thought I was so close to get you open title always been dream dream of mine and and finally I get I got this beautiful trophy it means a lot it was very very difficult couple of weeks and talk talking about Jessica I know I know how tough it l in the finals but you're showing some some amazing things and I'm more than sure that one day you're going to you're going to get one I mean not one maybe more but let's let's start from one grand slam and congratulations on on a great summer uh you're an amazing player and in that second set honestly I was just praying there I was literally standing there and praying for for getting this week uh this win and you're talking about giving you one set so yeah and yeah it means a lot I'm literally stitches right now we saw some tears last year when you lost in the final and now we see some different type of teers winning this tournament what are your emotions like right now you know everything I'm thinking I remember all those tough flosses in the past here and and you know just it's going to sound easy but never give up on your dream and just keep keep trying keep working hard and if you're really working hard and you you you sacrificing everything for your dream you're going to get it one day so I'm just I'm just super proud of myself I never say that but really guys I'm super proud of myself I'm proud of my team that that no matter what that no matter what no matter which situation we were facing this season and in the past we were able to to go through it and and get all those beautiful trophies and you had a beautiful Embrace with all of them what is that their support mean to you I mean that's everything let's let's be honest without them it wouldn't be me and I wouldn't exist and as I always say without me you guys wouldn't exist too so you're welcome no no I love you guys and your support is everything you're my family and I don't know I cannot imagine my tennis life and my personal life without you guys I I really love you I say it really like not often but I say it sometimes and I say it loud but guys I love you so much thank you thank you for being you and lastly Arena you were asking this crowd to get involved during this match playing another American what were you thinking now honestly I mean guys thank you I heard a lot of support uh you were you were cheering for me on those good on those good good moments but um of course I expected you to cheer for for jasica I mean that's I mean that's wouldn't be normal if you would uh cheer for me you know so but anyway guys thank you so much for for all the support throughout uh these two incredible weeks you guys really amazing and you make this place very special and very enjoyable to play so thank you so much once again you guys are amazing congratulations Arena and now to hand you a prize money check for $3,600,000 is Chief marketing officer from CHP Morgan Chase Carla sakim Hassan [Applause] that's pretty nice and the one and only Billy Jing King will hand you your championship trophy ladies and gentlemen your 2024 US Open Women's Champion Arena [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] Sanka so very emotional [Music] sometimes goofy but generally speaking uh a speech full of heart from Arena sabalenka and wasn't Jessica Pula lovely in Her runnerup [Music] speech she sure did get close to taking this to a third set had her looks battled as hard as she could but Power [Music] prevailed some final thoughts from you Andrea petkovich even though you're still honking into your tissues down there I'm I'm just as I said mesmerized by the quality of play today I think arena is a fantastic champion and I really think she deserves this title here she's the best hardcore player in the world and she just cemented that status with the title today and I think for Jessica Pula she has taken a mental hurdle here the quarterfinal hurdle and now the sky is the limit for her and on hardcourts it might be the sky balena is the limit okay um so Lindsay Dort we know that this woman has become the best hardcore player in the world is are hard courts the best surface for Pula to break through again and get to these weekends and Majors yeah no question this this one's going to sting a while for Jess cuz she fought so hard she has worked so hard give her a few days give her a few weeks and she'll be pretty encouraged by the overall results here New York and she'll go to work to try and really make a serious run down under in Australia but it is going to be tough to Dethrone this woman May again the these fast hard courts whether it be in New York or Melbourne it's right into the strength of sabalenka and now with three Majors yeah there was always talk like could she get over the hurdle will she win another one emotionally she looks pretty tough to beat also she sure does the 2024 US Open Champion Arena sabalenka [Music] what you do [Applause] [Music] you [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] sometimes [Music] [Music] [Music] yeah you you [Music] [Music] [Music] you got the you got the you got the