US Open
Swiatek and Jabeur play for US Open crown
Ons Jabeur reacts after their victory. photo
© Frank Franklin Ii/AP/dpa
Poland’s Iga Swiatek and Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur are in the women’s tennis final of the US Open. Both have the same goal, but their nature is different.
Late bloomer versus high-flyer, cheerful versus brooding, tactician versus attacker: in the final of the US Open between Ons Jabeur and Iga Swiatek, from a sporting point of view, two worlds meet.
And as if the tennis players wanted to underline this, both made it into the final on Saturday (10:00 p.m. CEST/Eurosport) in New York in very different ways. While Wimbledon finalist Jabeur saved a few strengths in her semi-final victory in just 66 minutes, world number one Swiatek had to fight hard for her dream of the title.
In the end, however, the Pole won 3: 6, 6: 1, 6: 4 against Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka on Friday night and prepared for an even tougher match against Jabeur from Tunisia. “I’m sure it will be a very physical game. She has good shots, is very solid from the baseline,” said Swiatek after her 56th win this year: “I have to be careful.”
Swiatek in the role of favourite
Swiatek comes into play as the slight favorite at Arthur Ashe Stadium – also because of her still flawless final record in Grand Slam tournaments: After the two finals on clay at the French Open in 2020 and 2022, she was able to lift the trophy. Jabeur, on the other hand, lost her first major final on grass at Wimbledon two months ago to Jelena Rybakina of Kazakhstan.
This defeat “really hurt,” Jabeur admitted after the clear 6-1, 6-3 win over Frenchwoman Carolina Garcia. The 28-year-old came onto the pitch in a shirt with the inscription “Face Your Fears” (Face your fears). “Losing a final is one of them,” said Jabeur, who feels ready for the big coup this time: “Now I probably know what to do in a final.”
She wants to be the first African and Arab player in the professional era (since 1968) to win a Grand Slam title – for herself and for the region. Jabeur has long been a heroine in Tunisia. There is currently a switch from Champions League football to tennis on television in sports bars, Jabeur reported: “That impresses me.” After Wimbledon, the national postal service issued a stamp with her in a winning pose, and the President presented her with the Order of Merit.
“Minister of Happiness” Jabeur
In her homeland she is also called “minister of happiness”. “Looseness needs an Ons Jabeur to play good tennis,” said national coach Barbara Rittner. Jabeur has only been really successful since 2019, when it “clicked” for her. “I was just fed up with getting busted on the first lap.” Since then, she has always been encouraging herself – with success.
This is a big difference to Swiatek, who, despite great success, is always accompanied by self-doubt at a young age. “It’s definitely not nice, but I also find it very motivating,” said the 21-year-old, who, unlike Jabeur, has an offensive style of play: “On the pitch I’m aggressive, stubborn and like to dominate.”
The duel of opposites promises excitement in any case, after four previous games it is 2:2. “It’s going to be a great fight,” predicted Swiatek.