In New York, the logic of the world ranking was respected. World No.1 Iga Swiatek won her first US Open on Saturday, beating Tunisian Ons Jabeur (5th) 6-2, 7-5.
At 21, the Pole adds a third Grand Slam title to her collection, after her two coronations at Roland-Garros in 2020 and in June this year. She succeeds the New York winners of the Briton Emma Raducanu, who created the sensation in 2021, by winning after leaving the qualifications.
A climb that pays
Faced with Jabeur, who was playing her second consecutive Major final after the one lost two months ago at Wimbledon, she held her rank as favorite. Aggressive and sharp, Swiatek quickly chained the winning blows, overtaking her rival, who appeared borrowed from the heart of Arthur-Ashe where she entered much more tense than usual. The Pole broke her from the start, then two more times in this one-way first set, at the end of which she passed 90% of the first ball and attacked the net with great success (eight points scored on nine climbs ).
The Tunisian, who had managed to unbreak to respond to the loss of her first game of service by releasing beautiful uncrossed forehands, could not confirm this burst, betrayed by a first ball, yet one of her strong points, broken down .
At the start of the second set, Swiatek came back strong, with effective placed attacks and broke away 3-0. Advantage that Jabeur immediately set about erasing, finally letting go of his shots. Debreak followed by another because the Polish took her serve again behind.
The ninth game was a turning point, during which Jabeur cornered Swiatek, who owed his salvation only to the unforced errors of the Tunisian. The latter thus wasted three break points and blamed herself for it by shouting her frustration. But, she breathed relief at 6-5 against her when her rival missed a match point. A short reprieve because in the tie-break, Swiatek did not miss the opportunity to finish on his second decisive opportunity in 1h51.
Cornet’s feat at Wimbledon
The world No.1 has thus demonstrated that she is not just a clay court player. Her victory on the cement of Flushing Meadows where she had, until this fourth participation, never passed the 8th stage demonstrates her dazzling progress, already glimpsed this year at the Australian Open where she had reached the half- finals.
A success which comes a little more to crown a formidable season, since between February 20 and June 22, she chained no less than 37 victories which offered her six titles in a row, in Doha, Indian Wells, Miami, Stuttgart, Rome then Roland-Garros. An irresistible momentum finally stopped in the third round of Wimbledon by the French Alizé Cornet, which preceded a difficult start to the summer, with early eliminations in Toronto then Cincinnati. But as a true champion, it didn’t take her long to resume her royal path.