Christopher Thomas
No. 2 seed Aryna Sabalenka disrupted what could have been an all-American final at the U.S. Open by defeating No. 17 seed Madison Keys on Thursday night. She will face sixth-ranked Coco Gauff on Saturday as both players seek their first title in New York.
Gauff is advancing to her first US Open final after defeating 10th seed Karolina Muchova 6-4, 7-5. She is the youngest American to reach the title match at Flushing Meadows since Serena Williams in 1999.
It’s been a solid year for Sabalenka, as she became the 13th woman in the Open Era to reach the semifinals at all four Grand Slams in one season. She won her first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in January and is now just one match away from her second.
#6 Coco Gauff defeated. No. 10 Karolina Muchova 6-4, 7-5
Gauff led 5-1 in the first set, but Muchova fought back to win three games in a row. Gauff finally broke serve for love and came out on top. She carried that momentum to win the first game of the second set. However, the the competition was interrupted because of climate change protesters.
The players left the court as security and the NYPD handled the situation for about 40 minutes. The players then had time to warm up before resuming.
Gauff found a 6-5 lead, but Muchova refused to go down without a fight. Muchova saved four match points and they made a 40-shot comeback just before Gauff finally scored.
The 19-year-old American struggled at the start of this season, but turned things around after new coach Pere Riba brought Brad Gilbert onto the coaching staff. Gilbert helped other great American players, including Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick and Andy Murray. Since his arrival, Gauff holds a 17-1 record.
This will be Gauff’s second career Grand Slam final, as she also reached the 2022 French Open title match. She is just one more win away from her first major title.
“This is crazy. I grew up watching this tournament so much, so it means a lot to be in the final,” Gauff said during his on-court interview. “There is much to celebrate, but the work is not done.”
#2 Aryna Sabalenka defeated. #17 Madison Keys 0-6, 7-6 (7-1), 7-6 (10-5)
Keys entered the match as an underdog, but took control in the first set by not allowing her opponent to win a game, which made Sabalenka look frustrated. The Belarusian star entered Thursday’s event without having dropped a set and having lost just 21 games in his previous five matches of the tournament.
“She played incredible tennis. It was just another level,” Sabalenka said of Keys after the match.
The 2017 US Open runner-up remained in control early in the second set but then dropped 12 consecutive points to allow Sabalenka a 6-5 lead. Keys found his rhythm again and leveled the score for the tiebreak. However, Sabalenka increased the pressure and won 7-1.
Keys took a medical timeout before the final set. She was winning 4-2, but Sabalenka wouldn’t go away. Sabalenka forced a tiebreak in the final set and played in her usual confident manner.
Upon finding a 7-3 lead, Sabalenka celebrated early as she forgot that it was not a normal tiebreaker as this was first to 10. However, it was only a few more minutes before she could truly celebrate.
