World No 1 Iga Swiatek and Tunisian Ons Jabeur will meet in the US Open women’s singles final on Saturday night in New York.
Swiatek is a long way clear at the top of the rankings but Jabeur will climb from fifth to second after reaching her second successive major final. The Tunisian is looking to become the first African woman and Arab player to win a Grand Slam.
Poland’s Swiatek came from a set down and then 4-2 behind in the deciding set to beat sixth seed Aryna Sabalenka, while Jabeur beat Caroline Garcia for the loss of four games.
Swiatek has not found the same form that carried her to a 37-match winning run earlier this season but she has battled and come up with her best when she has needed to.
“I’m pretty happy that even though maybe I wasn’t feeling 100 per cent perfectly from the beginning of the tournament, I was still able to get better and better and to play a really solid game,” said the two-time French Open champion.
“On clay, I feel just perfect. But for me actually winning when I’m not feeling perfectly, it’s the best kind of thing and best feeling. The satisfaction is pretty big.”
Swiatek, 21, is looking forward to meeting again with Jabeur, saying: “She has a different game style than most of the players. She has great touch. She’s just a tough opponent. I think it’s going to be a great battle.”
The Tunisian is ready to learn from her Wimbledon experience, when she won the first set of the final against Elena Rybakina but lost out in three.
Jabeur has backed that up brilliantly in New York, and she said: “It feels more real just to be in the finals again. At Wimbledon I was kind of just living the dream, and I couldn’t believe it. Even after the match, I was just going to do my things and not realising it was an amazing achievement already.
“But now I hope I’m getting used to it. I’m just happy the fact that I backed up the results in Wimbledon and people are not really surprised I’m in the finals.
“I feel very positive about this one. The most important thing is not to regret, because I’m going to give it all on this one. Even if this one is not going to happen, I’m very sure that another one will come.”
Jabeur and Swiatek are tied at 2-2 from their four previous meetings but the Pole won their only match this year in the final in Rome in May.
“Iga never loses finals, so it’s going to be very tough,” said Jabeur, who is dubbed the Minister of Happiness back home in Tunisia. “I know she struggled a little bit with the balls here, but I don’t see her struggling much, to be honest with you.
“She’s playing awesome. It’s going to be a tough match. I’m definitely going for my revenge. I love playing on this surface, and I feel like I know exactly what to do against her.”
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