US Open: Iga Swiatek showed all his strength against Ons Jabeur and won his second Grand Slam of the year

In another relentless performance in the final, the young Polish tennis player Iga Swiatek he defeated the Tunisian this Saturday Ons Jabeur to raise its first title US Open and the second Grand Slam of the year after the triumph at Roland Garros.

Swiatek, the world number one, beat Jabeur, who will be number two on Monday, 6-2 7-6 (7/5) in an hour and 51 minutes match at the center of Flushing Meadows (New York).

The Pole, 21 years old and double champion of Roland Garros (2020 and 2022), remains intractable in the final, with a full of victories in the last 10 played, without giving up a single set.

“I don’t know how I got it,” said the young Polish woman at the awards ceremony. Arriving in New York, “I wasn’t expecting much. It was a difficult time,” she recalled.

“I had to be focused and this tournament was very challenging because New York is so noisy, so crazy, there are so many temptations in the city, which inspire the people I met. It is really incredible for me and I am very proud that I succeeded. mentally, ”he said.

On the other hand, Jabeur, runner-up in July at Wimbledon, lost his second chance to be. the first Arab and African tennis player to lift a Grand Slam title.

The 28-year-old Tunisian overcame a brilliant start from Swiatek, who took the first set in half an hour, and fought in the second until she forced the tiebreak, in which she was leading 4-4.

“I really tried, but Iga didn’t make it easy for me,” he acknowledged.

“He deserved to win today. I don’t really like him today, but that’s okay,” he said with a slight smile. “I will continue to work hard and we will soon get this title”.

After his defeat to Elena Rybakina at Wimbledon, Jabeur starred in a spectacular tour in New York in which he only lost one set in six games and overwhelmed the French Caroline Garcia, the player in the best form.

The first African to compete for the US Open trophy, Jabeur fell in the final on a Swiatek who had advanced into the tournament with a low profile.

The Pole had just been knocked out in the third round at Wimbledon and with a decent stint in hard court tournaments that took away the sheen from her fabulous start to the year, with six titles including his second crown at Roland Garros.

But in the deciding match, Swiatek donned his most devastating version and added a second Grand Slam trophy to his showcase.

In a female circuit without a clear dominatrix from the decline of Serena Williams, Swiatek She is the first to win two of the four Grand Slams in the same season. since 2016.

At Serena Williams’ farewell tournament, Swiatek was also the first player to do so achieve seven titles in one year since the American star joined him in 2014.

Releasing the pressure, Jabeur entered the arena smiling and waving to the crowd as Swiatek continued his concentration ritual. listening to hard rock in his headphones.

His start of the match was just as strong. In the blink of an eye Swiatek was 3-0 up.

Jabeur, with his arm bent in and overwhelmed by the speed of Swiatek’s leg and punches, took a deep breath and landed two spectacular parallel punches as he began to let go.

The reaction was a mirage and the Pole maintained a frenetic pace and pressure, adding four consecutive games and scoring the first set in half an hour.

Even Jabeur, one of the most consistent players on the circuit, found no answers to her rival’s tennis hurricane early in the second set, in which she dropped her racket several times in desperation.

Swiatek did not allow her to raise her head and sent her to the first break with a 3-0 lead. The Tunisian, before the last train to enter the final, began to risk more and stroke by stroke she regained confidence.

Jabeur drew 4-4 and had three break points and serve to win the set.

Though Swiatek escaped the situation, Jabeur later held a match point and forced the tiebreak to the cheers of the audience, eager to experience a third set.

In a high-tension tiebreaker, the Tunisian took a 4-5 lead but two mistakes sentenced her to her second defeat in major finals and allowed Swiatek to solidify as a new authority in women’s tennis.

“I’m very glad it’s not cash,” the Polish woman joked after receiving the $ 2.6 million check for the winner.

The men’s final will be played on Sunday by the Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz and the Norwegian Casper Ruud. The winner will lift his first Grand Slam title and also become the new ATP number one.

Source: AFP