US Open: Iga Swiatek, the world’s top player, overcame a set deficit to defeat Aryna Sabalenka 3-6 6-1 6-4 and advance to her maiden US Open final on Saturday against Ons Jabeur.
The Pole recovered from a slow start in the second set and overcame an early break in the decisive by winning the final four games to defeat the strong Belarusian.
“Against Aryna you have to have the energy to push her back and be able to play those fastballs,” Swiatek said in an on-court interview.
“In the first set, I lacked a little bit of that so I needed to get it together. Drink some energy shots and just kind of go with it. I’m pretty glad that I did that.”
After the opening set, a game-changing restroom break was also helpful.
“I kind of needed to go. For sure I felt lighter. I’m sorry, that’s disgusting,” she said with a laugh.
“I just tried to use that time and think about what to change. I remember that when I was younger, all I would do in the bathroom between sets when I lost was cry. This time I was able to problem solve.”
With the victory, Iga Swiatek became the first Polish woman to play in the US Open final. There, she will compete against Jabeur, who earlier in the day became the first North African woman to play in the Open era.
On Thursday night, Swiatek and Sabalenka both started out anxious in front of the lights, but the sixth seed eventually settled in, finding a service rhythm and dialling in her forehand against Swiatek, who has occasionally had trouble against powerful hitters.
Sabalenka won the opening set by sneaking to the net behind a big forehand, sending a volley past the charging Swiatek, and consolidating a break with an ace for 4-2.
But Swiatek improved her game in the second set, serving much better and breaking Sabalenka three times to tie the match. Swiatek had to rally from a set down in her fourth-round encounter against Jule Niemeier.
Early in the third, Sabalenka reacted, her self-assurance rising as she sprinted to a 2-0 lead with a ferocious backhand that sent her opponent flying backwards and onto the court.
However, the tenacious Swiatek wouldn’t back down. She broke back with a backhand winner to tie the match at 4-4 and went on to win her first final at Flushing Meadows when Sabalenka’s backhand hit the net.
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