Iga Swiatek is the favorite in the final of the US Open, but not everything speaks for the Pole in the duel with Ons Jabeur.
Legend:
Face each other in the final in New York
Ons Jabeur und Iga Swiatek.
Imago Images/UPI Photo/ZUMA Wire
The final at the US Open will not be the first time that Iga Swiatek and Ons Jabeur have fought for a trophy in a direct duel this season. In mid-May, the two top 10 players faced each other in the final of the WTA 1000 tournament in Rome. Swiatek made short work of it, winning 6-2, 6-2 in 82 minutes and defending her title from last year.
Can we expect a similarly clear outcome in favor of the Pole four months later in New York? Hardly likely. While Swiatek’s favorite surface was played on sand in the Italian metropolis, the final in Flushing Meadows was on hard court. That suits Jabeur with their offensive style of play.
The way to the final of Ons Jabeur
1 round | s. Madison Brengle (WTA 61) | 7:5, 6:2 |
2nd round | s. Elizabeth Mandlik (WTA 144) | 7:5, 6:2 |
3rd round | s. Shelby Rogers (WTA 31) | 4:6, 6:4, 6:3 |
Round of 16 | Sr. Veronika Kudermetowa (WTA 18) | 7:6, 6:4 |
Quarterfinals | Sr. Ajla Tomljanovic (WTA 46) | 6:4, 7:6 |
semi final | yes Caroline Garcia (WTA 17) | 6:1, 6:3 |
The way to the final by Iga Swiatek
1 round | s. Jasmine Paolini (WTA 56) | 6:3, 6:0 |
2nd round | s. Sloane Stephens (WTA 51) | 6:3, 6:2 |
3rd round | s. Lauren Davis (WTA 105) | 6:3, 6:4 |
Round of 16 | s. Jule Niemeier (WTA 108) | 2:6, 6:4, 6:0 |
Quarterfinals | with. Jessica Pegula (WTA 8) | 6:3, 7:6 |
semi final | s. Aryna Sabalenka (WTA 6) | 3:6, 6:1, 6:4 |
Waiting and hoping is not an option
The Tunisian will want to use her strong service and variable game to prevent Swiatek from getting into a rhythm. Because once the world number 1 is in the “flow”, it will be extremely difficult to stop it.
Jabeur has already proven that she can beat Swiatek on hard court. In 2021 at the WTA 1000 tournament in Cincinnati, the Tunisian world number 5 had the upper hand against the Pole with 6: 3, 6: 3. It was the last showdown between the two on hard surface. It is 2:2 in head-to-head across all documents.
Swiatek almost flawless in finals
While Jabeur, at the age of 28, is aiming for the 1st title at the highest level in her 2nd Grand Slam final, 21-year-old Swiatek could already be celebrating her 3rd major triumph, the first outside of Paris, where she was a few years ago Months for the 2nd time after 2020 won the French Open.
Swiatek’s record in the finals should give Swiatek a lot of confidence. The Pole has played for a title 10 times so far, in 9 cases she posed with the trophy after the game. Swiatek only had to admit defeat when she took part in her very first final – in 2019 at the WTA tournament in Lugano against Polona Hercog.
It’s no coincidence that the final of the US Open, the last major tournament of the year, has Affiche Swiatek – Jabeur. It is the duel of the two most successful players so far in 2022. Swiatek (7560 points) leads the “Race to the WTA Finals” rating by a large margin over Jabeur (3196 points).
Swiatek and Jabeur semi-finals recap
