That’s why she’s number one: Iga Swiatek qualified for the US Open final after a great comeback | Tennis

Polish

Iga Swiatek

The women’s top seed lifted a set in front of her to defeat Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka on Thursday and qualify for the first time in the final of the tournament.

US Open

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Swiatek, a two-time Roland Garros champion (2020 and 2022), defeated world number 6 Sabalenka, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 at Center Court in Flushing Meadows (New York).

The first Pole in the US Open final, will face Swiatek on Saturday for the title of Tunisian Anas Jabeur, the qualifier for the last Wimbledon final.

On the other hand, Sabalenka stumbled for the third time at the gates of her long-awaited first Grand Slam final.

Sabalenka, who reached the semi-finals last year in New York, was unable to compete at Wimbledon in July due to the vetoes of Russian and Belarusian tennis players over the invasion of Ukraine.

Against her Polish rival, who always wears a ribbon in Ukraine’s colors on her hat, Sabalenka signed a fine first set, breaking Swiatek’s submissive serve three times.

The first-place finisher, after a bathroom break, returned with a strong eight-point streak and broke Sabalenka’s powerful serve three times, taking the match into the decider.

“I tried to use that time to figure out what to change,” Swiatek explained of his hiatus. “I remember when I was young what I did in those moments was crying but now I can look for solutions and I get it.”

In the last set, both players raised their level and made several quick exchanges, with Sabalenka trying to stop Swiatek’s rocket-based speed with a forehand.

Both semi-finalists returned a break twice, and Swiatek, who trailed 3-4 again, responded to add her eighth straight win against top-10 WTA opponents.

On Saturday, the Pole will have the opportunity to add their first big trophy off clay to Roland Garros and continue to establish themselves as a major reference in the women’s circuit following the decline of Serena Williams and the sudden withdrawal of Ash Party.

Her Tunisian opponent will be Anas Jaber, the fifth seed in the WTA, who on Thursday made a bid in a back-to-back victory over French Caroline Garcia.

Swiatek described: “He’s always tough against her, she’s very physical, and she has very good hands.” “I have to be very careful but now I’m going to enjoy being in the final.”