World No 1 and No 2 in the WTA rankings face head-to-head for a historic trophy. Both Poland, represented by Iga Swiatek, and Tunisia, represented by Ons Jabeur, do not have a US Open title, which makes tonight’s clash even more interesting. The continent of Africa didn’t even have a female finalist until the appearance of Ons Jabeur.
The statistics between the two are equal – two wins for each. In their first match, which took place in 2019 on hard court in Washington, Iga Swiatek achieved a difficult success by 2-1 (4:6, 6:4, 6:4). At the 1/8 finals of Wimbledon 2021, Ons Jabeur got his revenge with a 2-1 (5:7, 6:1, 6:1) victory. At the WTA 1000 Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati 2021, the Tunisian was even more decisive, winning by 2-0 (6:3, 6:3). This year, the two players met in the final of the WTA 1000 Rome Open and Iga Swiatek won by 2-0 (6:2, 6:2) on her favorite clay.
On paper, the Pole is the clear favorite. The 21-year-old tennis player, born in Warsaw, is having a phenomenal season. So far this year, the world number 1 has won 6 trophies, including a title at Roland Garros, and tournament victories in Miami, Indian Wells, Rome, Doha, and Stuttgart, registering 50 wins and only 7 defeats until the start of the most prestigious tennis competition in the USA.
On the courts of “Flushing Meadows” in Queens, Iga Swiatek got off to a promising start. In her first three matches, she recorded straight-set victories over Jasmine Paolini by 2-0 (6:3, 6:0), the 2017 champion Sloane Stephens by 2-0 (6:3, 6:2) and over another American – Lauren Davis by 2-0 (6:3, 6:4). In the following matches, after losing the first set, she eliminated Jule Niemeier by 2-1 (2:6, 6:4, 6:0) and the 8th-seeded Jessica Pegula with 2-0 (6:3, 7:6), and in the semi-final she also defeated the 6th-seeded Aryna Sabalenka by 2-1 (3:6, 6:1, 6:4), demonstrating great character.
Success for her in the final will mean a more than double difference in points between the first and the second after the update of the world rankings – Iga Swiatek will be with 10,365 points, and the second – Ons Jabeur will be with 5,090 points.
For her part, the Tunisian is fighting for new records for her country. After becoming the first African woman to win a WTA 1000 title in Madrid this season, Ons Jabeur now has her sights set on becoming the first African women’s Grand Slam champion.
Her way to the final went with straight-set victories over Americans Madison Brengle by 2-0 (7:5, 6:2) and Elizabeth Mandlik by 2-0 (7:5, 6:2). In the third round, she overcome the 31st-seeded Shelby Rogers by 2-1 (4:6, 6:4, 6:3). In her next three matches until the final, Ons Jabeur did not give a set to her opponents (Veronika Kudermetova, Ajla Tomljanovic, and Caroline Garcia).
