Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabelnka were both eliminated in the semifinals at the Western & Southern Open, WTA 1000 in Cincinnati, but their fight for the WTA no.1 spot will continue decisively at the US Open. The Pole lost the first set in Cincinnati after leading by two breaks, but she fought back in the second to draw.
Coco Gauff, however, managed the important moments of the decisive set better, canceling two balls of the counter break, before writing the final word. On the other hand, Karolina Muchova took care of eliminating Sabalenka.
The Czech dominated the third game set and completed the comeback against the Belarusian.
Swiatek-Sabalenka’s duel for the WTA throne at the US Open
Finally, Gauff conquered the first 1000 of her career in Cincinnati. Muchova didn’t play one of her best games: too many mistakes made on the net and games lost on serve.
The American became the first player since Caroline Wozniacki 2008 to win five women’s circuit tournaments as a teenager.The last Grand Slam of the year, once again, will also put the top of the ranking up for grabs.Sabalenka squandered her big break at Wimbledon when she stalled out in the semifinals, losing to Ons Jabeur.
Starting to exclude the points won by both last year at the US Open, where Swiatek won the tournament by beating, among others, Sabalenka in the semifinals, the Pole will start from 7955 and the Belarusian from 7966.The natural consequence is that the tennis player able to achieve the best result in Flushing Meadows will be number one in the world at the end of the tournament, with both who will have the same chences to get this milestone.
Just focusing on the goal, at the end of the Wimbledon tournament, Sabalenka released some really interesting statements: “I wouldn’t say I was thinking about it. For me it’s more a question of finishing the year as number 1, rather than being number one or two during the year. I will continue to push and do whatever it takes to finish the year as world No. 1.”