Aryna Sabalenka defeated Jessica Pegula to keep her dreams alive of completing a hat-trick of US Open women's singles titles. In the final at the Arthur Ashe Stadium, she will compete against Elena Rybakina, who is set to become the world number one on Monday, irrespective of the outcome on Saturday’s summit clash.
Rybakina defeated Coco Gauff in the semis, winning 6-3, 4-6, 4-6. Now, ahead of the final, the Kazakh noted that she cannot afford to allow Sabalenka to control exchanges. The 27-year-old said her priority will be to attack at crucial stages and remain in charge of the rallies.
“I guess the same spirit. I need to fight no matter how I'm going to feel on that day and give my best. We know each other pretty well and have played so many times against each other. Yeah, just try to stay aggressive in important moments, not wait for her to dictate the point, and try to stay on top of the rallies,” Rybakina said during an interaction with JioStar.
Rybakina and Sabalenka rivalry
The final, scheduled for September 13, will be their 18th encounter. Sabalenka holds a 10-7 advantage in their previous meetings. The match is also the first US Open women's singles final featuring the top two seeds in 13 years.
Meanwhile, Rybakina’s campaign has required considerable physical resilience. She revealed that a foot problem had left her unsure about participating in New York and also that she remained conscious of the issue during her opening matches.
“I wasn't 100 per cent sure if I was going to be able to even play this tournament. In the first few matches, I was thinking about my foot and how it was actually going to react. I was not that comfortable playing the first few matches. Then, slowly, my focus moved towards what I was doing wrong on the court and what I needed to improve. So yeah, slowly I found my way. There were also some very difficult opponents and great matches. I feel like something is definitely going my way, and I hope that on finals day, I can do my best and that it also brings me success,” Rybakina said.
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