Sviatek did not let the trophy escape him

First imperious, then resilient, world No. 1 Iga Swiatek won her first US Open title on Saturday in New York, eventually beating Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur (5th) 6-2, 7-5.

At 21, the Pole adds a third Grand Slam title to her collection, following her two crowns at Roland-Garros in 2020 and June this year. She succeeds New York winner Britain’s Emma Raducanu, who created a sensation in 2021 by winning after qualifying.

“I had to stay calm and focused,” Swiatek said during the trophy presentation. There is a crazy and noisy atmosphere in New York and it can make you lose your bearings. I’m very proud of how I handled things mentally. »

“I really didn’t expect to be a champion here,” Swiatek added. It’s a way of affirming to myself that there are no limits to what I can achieve. I’m a little surprised, but I’m proud. »

Up against Jabeur, who was playing in her second consecutive Major final after losing two months ago at Wimbledon, she maintained her ranking as favourite.

Aggressive and sharp, Swiatek quickly chained winning shots past her opponent, who appeared on loan from the Arthur-Ashe heart where she entered much more tense than usual.

The Pole broke it from the start, then twice more in that 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 9 climbs).

The Tunisian, who had managed to erase the break to respond to the loss of the first service game by unleashing beautiful uncrossed dresses, was unable to confirm this burst in her following commitments, betrayed by a first ball, but one of her strengths points, broken. below.

At the start of the second set, after relying on her concentration in her chair, closing her eyes and breathing deeply, Swiatek continued with effective set attacks and escaped 3-0.

Round of the ninth competition

Advantage that Jabeur immediately started to fade, finally leaving his shots. One break followed another, as the Pole got her serve back again, after exchanges that showed it was a completely different match then.

The ninth game was a turning point, with Jabeur cornering Swiatek, who was saved only by the Tunisian’s effortless mistakes. Thus, the latter lost three break points and blamed herself for it by shouting her frustration.

But, pressured by his camp displaying “yalla habibi!” (come on honey!), she sighed with relief at 6-5 against her when her opponent dropped a match point.

A brief reprieve as in the tiebreaker Sviatek didn’t miss an opportunity to finish with his second decisive chance at 1:51.

“I really tried, but Iga didn’t make it easy for me,” Jabeur said.

In New York, the world No1 showed she was more than just a clay court player. Her victory on the clay of Flushing Meadows where until her fourth appearance she had never made it past the round of 16 shows her dazzling progress, which she had already seen since the start of the year at the Australian Open where she had reached the semi-finals. -finals.

A success that comes a little more to crown a formidable season, since between February 20 and June 22, she chained at least 37 victories that gave her six titles in a row, in Doha, Indian Wells, Miami, Stuttgart, Rome and then Roland. – Garos.

An unstoppable momentum was finally halted in the third round of Wimbledon by France’s Alizé Cornet, which preceded a difficult start to the American summer with early exits in Toronto and then Cincinnati. But as the champion she has become, it didn’t take long for her to continue her royal streak.