US Open: Ons Jabeur confident against escape artist Iga Swiatek - "Knows what to do"
Wimbledon finalist Ons Jabeur and Iga Swiatek determine the winner of the US Open. There is no clear favourite.
by SID/red.
last edit: Sep 09, 2022, 12:52 pm
Ons Jabeur has already fulfilled her first big wish in New York - she has finally met her role model Andy Roddick, whom she has had a crush on for a long time. "He looks good," said the 28-year-old Tunisian, quickly adding, "But don't tell my husband that."
The "Minister of Happiness", as she is known in her home country, would like to satisfy the even greater longing on Saturday evening (10 p.m. / Eurosport) in the mighty Arthur Ashe Stadium. Jabeur is desperate to get her hands on the five-pound winner's trophy at the US Open after so narrowly missing out on her maiden Grand Slam title at Wimbledon two months ago. But she has to get rid of Iga Swiatek to do so.
Jabeur big star in Tunisia
"I learn from all the finals that I play in and I learned a lot, especially at Wimbledon. I'll give everything and definitely want to win the title here," said Jabeur: "It's important for me to achieve the things I achieve want to say it out loud."
The fun-loving athlete, who is now a big star in Tunisia, definitely set an exclamation point ahead of the duel with Swiatek, the world number one, with her 6-1, 6-3 win over the hopeless Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia. Jabeur was extremely handy, showed good variations and served almost like Roddick once did: In the end, eight aces were in their statistics.
Swiatek expects "physical duel"
But it will still be extremely difficult to defeat the escape artist from Poland. As against Jule Niemeier in the round of 16, Swiatek also fought his way out of trouble against Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinals and was unstoppable in the end with a 3: 6, 6: 1, 6: 4 win. Swiatek's experience in meaningful matches and working with her psychologist are paying off.
According to her own statements, she used to "panic" when things went badly. "Now it's just easier for me to think logically about what I can change," said the Warsaw native, who expects a "physical duel" with Jabeur.
"She has a different style of play than most players and has a great hand," Swiatek said of her opponent in the final: "I have to be careful." In June she cheered for the second time on the red ashes of Paris, now the first big coup on the hard court is coming. But the self-confident Jabeur is sure: "I have the feeling that I know exactly what I have to do against them."
Here the single tableau from New York.
nycmap