Tennis-Eye of the tiger: Sabalenka roars back from tough year for US Open crown

Sept 7, 2024; Flushing, NY, USA Aryna Sabalenka with the US Open Trophy after beating Jessica Pegula (USA) in the women's singles final on day thirteen of the 2024 U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Tenacious tiger-tattooed Aryna Sabalenka embodied the spirit of her favourite animal in New York this year as she clawed her way back from injury and disappointment to hoist the U.S. Open trophy at last.

The world number two retained her title at the Australian Open but suffered a back injury in Rome and crashed out with illness in the Roland Garros quarter-final. She missed Wimbledon entirely due to a shoulder injury.