Aryna Sabalenka has seemingly bounced back from her shock defeat in Toronto with a run to the finals in Cincinnati.
It’s the head-to-head that produced the best match of the year on the women’s tour.
Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka’s tantalizing battle in Madrid lasted for over three hours and yet still felt far too short.
Now away from Swiatek’s clay fortress, Sabalenka totally out-powered the world number one on the blue hard courts of Cincinnati.
An early exchange of breaks initially suggested we might be in for the long haul once again, however the Belarusian quickly took control and wrapped up the first set 6-3.
Another quick start in the second saw Sabalenka race to a 5-1 lead but ultimately squandered nine match points with the Pole looking to stage a dramatic fight back.
Sabalenka regathered herself and on the tenth time of asking sealed the second 6-3.
With the conditions in Cincinnati allowing Sabalenka’s heavy shots to zip through, she was quizzed after her match on the conditions that have so far been a major talking point of the tournament.
Aryna Sabalenka agrees that the Cincinnati courts are challenging to play on
Speaking to Sabalenka after her win, Tim Henman explained how several players have complained about the surface, or at least suggested it’s been challenging to play on.
“It’s definitely difficult to play on this surface,” Sabalenka agreed.
“I would say the first two matches were really tricky. I was trying to adjust, I was trying to figure out what’s going on with the surface, like when the ball bounces sometimes it’s an unexpected bounce.
But with the matches going on I’ve felt more confident and better and better. I’ve found my rhythm on these courts. So yes I think I adjusted pretty well to this surface.”
Jannik Sinner also spoke about the conditions in Cincinnati, explaining how he has historically struggled to adjust, with his time in the midwest often being unsuccessful.
Aryna Sabalenka positions herself for the US Open title
It’s beginning to look like perhaps nobody wants to win the US Open.
Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz look shaky, Daniil Medvedev and Coco Gauff couldn’t buy a win, and Novak Djokovic hasn’t played since Paris.
While Djokovic was spotted training without his knee brace for the first time since the beginning of July, the Serb elected not to play any warm-up events this time around.
Sabalenka was subjected to a shock defeat to Amanda Anisimova in Toronto but has appeared to have totally shaken that defeat off.
Producing her best tennis, she blew Swiatek off the court, and if she remains in this form, nobody will get close.
While Jessica Pegula retained her title in Canada and is into her second consecutive WTA 1000 final, the American’s grand slam record is dodgy at best.
Never having progressed past the quarter-finals, it may well be Pegula’s chance to break her shoddy spell at the majors.
However with Sabalenka in full flow, last year’s US Open runner-up will be desperate to go one better.
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