US Open: "Perfect tennis" - Swiatek is inexorably rushing to the title
Iga Swiatek won the US Open. At just 21, it was her third Grand Slam title.
by SID
last edit: Sep 11, 2022, 08:17 am
Iga Swiatek pressed a tender kiss on the shiny silver trophy and beamed all over her face: The dominator of the tennis scene crowned herself as a three-time Grand Slam winner with a superior final victory at the US Open and was then overwhelmed.
"The tournament was very challenging. New York is so loud, so crazy and there are so many temptations," said Swiatek: "I'm really proud that I was able to handle it mentally."
The 21-year-old Pole won the duel with the seven-year-old Tunisian Ons Jabeur on Saturday 6: 2, 7: 6 (5) and triumphed for the first time in New York. The world number one, who had already won the French Open in 2020 and 2022, successfully played her tenth final on the tour in a row and is the first US Open winner in her country since the introduction of professional tennis in 1968.
Ons Jabeur - the "Minister of Happiness"
Jabeur, who was badly injured, once again failed to become the first African woman to win the Grand Slam of the Open Era. She was in the Wimbledon final in July and missed out on the title after losing to Kazakh Jelena Rybakina. "I really tried, but Iga didn't make it easy for me," said Jabeur, adding with a smile: "I don't like her very much right now, but that's okay."
Jabeur, known as the "Minister of Happiness" in her home country, was looking forward to the game in sunny New York with great determination. "I want to leave everything on the pitch and hopefully I can win," she said just before stepping on the pitch. "I'm ready," replied Swiatek. And proved this from the start.
Swiatek off to a strong start
She clearly won the last of a total of four encounters (2-2) between the two players in the final in Rome in May. And in New York, too, she set the pace, despite all the good performances by Jabeur in the semifinals against Caroline Garcia from France.
Swiatek, who had knocked out the last German in the tournament in Jule Niemeier in the round of 16, immediately proliferated with her wealth of final experience. She served with high odds, was extremely focused on returns and put Jabeur under pressure that she couldn't resist at first. After half an hour the first sentence was decided.
Kerber impressed
"There's nothing you can do at the moment, she's playing perfect tennis," said three-time Grand Slam winner Angelique Kerber on the Eurosport microphone at the beginning of the second set, in which Swiatek continued to set the pace. Jabeur now defended herself more resolutely and more and more defied her opponent. However, Swiatek had an answer ready for everything and cheered free.
On Sunday (10 p.m. / Eurosport) the last major of the year will come to an end with the eagerly awaited men’s final duel. The Spanish exceptional talent Carlos Alcaraz and the Norwegian climber Casper Ruud both not only have the chance of their first Grand Slam triumph - the winner also jumps to the top of the world rankings.
Accordingly, the two finalists agree: nerves will play a major role.
nycmap