| Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York Dates: 29 August-11 September |
| Protection: Every day radio commentaries throughout BBC Sounds and the BBC Sport web site and app, with chosen dwell textual content commentaries and match stories on the web site and app |
World primary Iga Swiatek capped a dominant season by beating Tunisian fifth seed Ons Jabeur on the US Open to win her second main title of 2022.
Poland’s Swiatek, 21, gained 6-2 7-6 (7-5) to safe the season’s ultimate Grand Slam trophy on the New York exhausting courts.
After a one-sided first set, 28-year-old Jabeur settled halfway by way of the second nevertheless it was not sufficient to cease Swiatek clinching a 3rd main title.
Swiatek’s earlier two wins each got here on the clay on the French Open.
Jabeur additionally misplaced within the Wimbledon ultimate in July and her anticipate one of many sport’s 4 most prestigious titles continues.
The Flushing Meadows ultimate was a gathering between the 2 main gamers on the WTA Tour this 12 months, however Swiatek demonstrated why there may be such a giant hole between her and the remainder with a largely dominant efficiency.
Swiatek stays the world primary, and would have completed even when she had misplaced, with Jabeur transferring as much as a joint career-high rating of second after reaching the ultimate.
Swiatek reveals high quality and resilience to underline dominance
Following the retirement of Australian world primary Ashleigh Barty in March, Swiatek has seized her alternative to take over because the tour’s dominant participant.
Earlier this 12 months, she put collectively a 37-match successful streak that enabled her to say six titles in a row – together with the French Open at Roland Garros.
After going by way of an comprehensible dip which resulted within the streak ending within the Wimbledon fourth spherical, Swiatek has slowly reasserted her authority in New York.
Her finest efficiency was saved for the ultimate.
“I wasn’t anticipating so much. Earlier than this match it was such a difficult time,” stated Swiatek, who admitted her dislike for the lighter balls utilized by the ladies on the US Open.
Swiatek had gained her 9 earlier finals with out dropping a set – additionally together with her maiden main win on the 2020 French Open – and set the platform for one more victory with a assured begin.
However she additionally wanted to indicate resilience at occasions within the second set.
After being unable to transform both of two break factors for a 4-0 lead, Swiatek instantly discovered herself degree at 4-4 and saved three break factors to stop Jabeur going 5-4 forward.
Scoreboard strain began to inform on Jabeur within the twelfth sport, with the Tunisian falling 30-0 behind and handing over a primary championship level with a free forehand.
Swiatek modified her racquet earlier than sending a backhand lengthy to overlook the prospect however she regained composure within the tie-break and sealed victory on her second championship level when Jabeur hit a forehand lengthy.
The pair shared a heat embrace in the course of the courtroom earlier than Swiatek, who’s the primary lady since Serena Williams in 2014 to win seven titles in a season, celebrated in entrance of her crew.
Jabeur ‘working exhausting’ to land first main
Against this, Jabeur appeared emotional as she sat together with her head in her fingers as she processed a second successive defeat in a Grand Slam ultimate.
Going into the match, Jabeur stated she felt she had discovered classes from July’s defeat at Wimbledon to Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina.
There, she made a quick begin earlier than fading. Right here, she paid the worth for a sluggish begin.
Jabeur solely landed 48% of her first serves within the first set and Swiatek – who has gained extra returning video games than anybody else this 12 months – pounced with relentless returning to clinch the opener after simply half-hour.
Whereas Jabeur’s serving improved within the second set, the variety of unforced errors mounted and she or he was unable to totally capitalise on Swiatek’s slight dip.
“Iga did not make it simple for me. She deserved to win,” stated Jabeur, who was the primary African lady to achieve US Open ultimate within the Open period.
“Successful or shedding is a part of tennis. I struggled to win my first WTA title. It took me time. So I imagine this [winning a major] will take me time.
“Crucial factor is accepting it, studying from the finals that I misplaced.
“Positively I am not somebody that going to surrender. I’m positive I will be within the ultimate once more. I’ll strive my finest to win it.”
Evaluation
BBC tennis correspondent Russell Fuller
Iga Swiatek arrived at Flushing Meadows feeling considerably not sure of herself.
These courts are just a little on the short facet for her, and the balls just a little too mild. The 21-year-old was additionally making an attempt to awaken herself after a sapping 37-match successful streak got here to an finish at Wimbledon.
However towards Ons Jabeur, she underlined her pre-eminence within the ladies’s sport. No-one has gained seven titles in the identical 12 months on the ladies’s facet since Serena Williams eight years in the past.
Jabeur, although, is inching nearer – and it’s simple to overlook how a lot progress she has made this 12 months.
The world quantity 10 at the beginning of the 12 months, the Tunisian will return to second within the rankings. Alongside the way in which she has gained the celebrated WTA occasion in Madrid and now reached back-to-back Grand Slam finals.
