Poland’s Iga Swiatek won her third major tournament on Saturday, defeating Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur 6-2, 7-6 (5) in the US Open final.
Swiatek was much less convincing in the second set, but she regained enough of her initial touch at the right times.
She finished the match with five breaks, two more than her opponent.
“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. »
Swiatek, who was the favorite in New York, has also been crowned at Roland Garros in 2020 and 2022 — in the latter case, on a 37-game winning streak.
She won her seventh title since the start of the year – the last player to do so was Serena Williams in 2014.
The 21-year-old is 55-7 overall in 2022.
It was also a 10th straight final that she settled in straight sets.
Finalist at Wimbledon in July, Jabeur was the fifth seed in the Big Apple.
The Tunisian was trying to become the first African to win a major tournament in the professional era, which began in 1968.
Swiatek is the first player in six years to win two major tournaments in the same year. Angelique Kerber pulled it off in Melbourne and New York in 2016.
Swiatek handcuffed her rival to 5-5 to break the deadlock, then she was able to celebrate when her rival sent a ball too far.
The Pole ruled the roost in the first set, ending the rally quickly and quickly taking a 3-0 lead.
Jabeur recovered for a game on serve and a break, in the latter case thanks in particular to three excellent winners.
Swiatek responded with a break then came within a game of the set, when her opponent missed a volley by a wide margin.
Another break later, Swiatek had the first commitment in his pocket.
The WTA number 1 also led 3-0 in the second set, although we felt some fatigue in her.
Letting too many rallies go on when she would have cut them short early in the game, Swiatek was broken in the seventh game and soon after the score became 4-4.
She took a 5-4 lead, but had to rely on numerous unforced errors from Jabeur. It has committed 33 in total, three more than its rival.
This ninth game lasted nine minutes. Jabeur then kept his service and Swiatek did the same. Having a first match point, Swiatek then made a surprising change of racket. It didn’t help and the match went to a tiebreaker.
In this deadlock break, Jabeur’s best point was the first, concluded with a brilliant backhand in parallel.
Swiatek found enough bite for a solid parallel forehand that tied the game at 5-5. She would soon experience a second consecration in a major tournament this year.
For winners, the advantage also went to Swiatek, 19-14.
Monetarily, the Pole was enriched with a purse of $2.6 million.