Wiser by experience, Sabalenka has second crack at US Open title

Mumbai: As she got broken serving for a place in the US Open final at 6-3, 5-4 to give Emma Navarro a lifeline and the American crowd its voice in backing one of their own, it rang a bell for Aryna Sabalenka. Last year, playing for the title in the same stadium, the Belarusian got swept away as Coco Gauff rode the wave of support from the home fans and turned a one-set drubbing into a three-set triumph. Aryna Sabalenka celebrates a point against Emma Navarro in the semi-final. (AFP)

“I was like, no, no, no, it’s not going to happen again,” Sabalenka said.

It wouldn’t. The world No.2 shut out the noise and opened the door to another US Open final after the 6-3, 7-6(2) semi-final victory. This will be the two-time Australian Open champion’s second straight final appearance in the season-ending Grand Slam; the last woman to do so was Serena Williams five years ago.

Sabalenka appears wiser by the experience of last year, where she let the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd — which can be loud, ruthless and unabashed in picking sides — get to her head after having a grip on Gauff. Confronted by a similar situation against Navarro, she now got a grip on herself quickly. Even after that untimely break. Even after a double fault early in the tiebreaker. Lessons from the 2023 final were brought to the 2024 semi-final.

“You have to control your emotions. You have to focus on yourself,” Sabalenka said.

She might well have to do it again on another Saturday night in New York. For, another American stands in the way of Sabalenka and the US Open title.

Jessica Pegula stood one point away from a potential point of no return down 1-6, 0-2, 30-40 when a brilliant get, followed by a botched volley at the net by Karolina Muchova, kept her in it. And off went the world No.6 charting a gritty comeback for a 1-6, 6-4, 6-2 win and a first Slam final. The crowd got into the act here too, with the 30-year-old American saying they helped “get some adrenaline into me”.

Both finalists have had adrenaline-pumping results last month coming into this US Open, with Pegula winning the title in Toronto and making the final in Cincinnati. That final in Cincinnati was won by Sabalenka, who has carried the form and feel of a champion in New York.

While most other top players looked overcooked and under par right from the first round of this US Open and crashed out along the way, Sabalenka has remained efficiently red-hot all through. Save for the first-set drop in the third round where she took time to get going, the world No.2 has played every bit like the hard-court bully that she can be. Her serving has been solid and the forehand — Sabalenka’s average topspin forehand spin of 78mph is among the best in this tournament across gender — scorching. The tall baseliner has also been brave enough in throwing some variety in her play.

The 26-year-old has come fresh for this Slam, both in her game and the mind after recovering from a shoulder injury that made her miss Wimbledon. And giving the Olympics a miss is a big reason for that.

“You have to sacrifice something. I decided to sacrifice the Olympics for the hard-court season,” she said. “I have no regrets. I mean, it looks like it was the right one.”

The conqueror Down Under has had some of her most consistent runs at the US Open, reaching consecutive semi-finals in 2021 and 2022 before last year’s final. But Flushing Meadows is also where she’s had to piece together some of her career’s biggest heartbreaks. Like throwing away the final against Gauff. Like being blown away after winning the first set against Iga Swiatek in the 2023 semis. Like not seizing her moment in the 2021 semis against 73rd-ranked Leylah Fernandez.

“I wasn’t ready (the first time), then I got emotional, then I just couldn’t handle the crowd,” she said. “So many times, I felt like I just missed (an) opportunity.”

Yet, Sabalenka has carried no baggage coming into New York this year. She’s having fun with the crowd — “Oh, now you guys cheer for me,” she said in the on-court chat after beating Navarro — and offering them free drinks. All along while playing some pretty solid tennis to give the US Open title a second crack.

“Every time I come back here, I have this positive thinking... like, come on, maybe this time,” Sabalenka said. “Every time I’m hoping that one day I’ll be able to hold that beautiful trophy.”

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