Aryna Sabalenka: The First Woman to Reach Back-to-Back US Open Finals Since Serena Williams

Aryna Sabalenka has made history by becoming the first woman to reach back-to-back US Open finals since Serena Williams achieved the feat in 2018 and 2019. The Belarusian star secured her spot in the final with a hard-fought victory over American Emma Navarro, winning 6-3, 7-6(2) in a thrilling semifinal match held at Arthur Ashe Stadium on September 5, 2024.

Aryna Sabalenka is pure entertainment, all the time.

This woman is great for tennis.
pic.twitter.com/aafH68oTZ7

— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) September 6, 2024

Sabalenka's journey through the tournament has showcased her dominance on hard courts. She began her campaign with commanding wins against Priscilla Hon and Lucia Bonzetti. In the third round, she displayed resilience by coming back from a set down to defeat Ekaterina Alexandrova. The fourth round saw her return to form as she overpowered former doubles partner Elise Mertens with a straightforward 6-2, 6-4 victory.

In the quarterfinals, Sabalenka faced reigning Olympic gold medallist Zheng Qinwen, whom she dismantled in a decisive 6-1, 6-2 match, marking her fourth consecutive semifinal appearance at the US Open.

Who Is Aryna Sabalenka?

Born on May 5, 1998, Aryna Sabalenka is a professional tennis player from Belarus. She has achieved significant milestones in her career, including winning two Grand Slam titles and 14 singles titles worldwide. Sabalenka reached the pinnacle of women’s tennis by becoming the world No. 1 for the first time on September 11, 2023. Earlier this year, she clinched her sixth WTA 1000 title at the Cincinnati Open, defeating Jessica Pegula in the final without dropping a set.

Sabalenka's recent performances have been remarkable, as she reached back-to-back WTA 1000 finals in Madrid and Rome, although she fell short against world No. 1 Iga Swiatek in both matches. In the 2024 Australian Open, she secured her second consecutive title in Melbourne, defeating Coco Gauff in the semifinals and Zheng Qinwen in the final.

Don't Miss: Top 6 Upcoming Music Festivals in Delhi: Dates, Times, Venues, and Ticket Prices

US Open Semifinal Showdown

In the semifinal against Navarro, Sabalenka faced a spirited opponent who was competing in her first Grand Slam semifinal. Despite a few shaky moments, Sabalenka's experience shone through. She initially took control of the match, breaking Navarro's serve early in the first set. However, Navarro fought back, levelling the score before Sabalenka pulled ahead again to take the first set.

The second set was a battle, with Navarro pushing Sabalenka to a tiebreak after breaking her serve while she was serving for the match. Sabalenka, however, regained her composure and dominated the tiebreak, winning seven consecutive points to seal her victory.

Post-match, Sabalenka expressed her excitement and determination to win the title this time around, reflecting on her heartbreak from last year's final against Gauff. “I had really tough lessons here in the past... I just couldn't handle the crowd," she said, emphasising her readiness to face whoever came her way in the final.

US Open Final

Sabalenka will face either Jessica Pegula or Karolina Muchova in the final, with Pegula being a familiar opponent after their recent encounters. The stakes are high as Sabalenka aims to become the first woman to win both hard-court Grand Slam titles in the same year since Angelique Kerber in 2016.

Don't Miss: SSC GD 2025 Constable Recruitment: Apply Now For 39,000+ Positions At ssc.gov.in

For more such stories, stay tuned to HerZindagi

Herzindagi.com is Jagran New Media's gender and lifestyle vertical, catering to women of all age groups, helping them remain updated, on-trend and aware. To improve our performance and understand our readers' interests better, we have created this poll. This will take 2 minutes of your time, do help us out with this link.