The US Open will crown a new victor of the women’s draw with Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff to play in their first final at Flushing Meadows on Sunday morning (AEST).
The slam looked set to host its first all-American singles final in six years between Madison Keys and Gauff before Sabalenka squashed the dream with an epic comeback in her semi final.
Soon-to-be-world No.1, Sabalenka progressed to Sunday’s final with a 0-6, 7-6(1), 7-6(10-5) victory over Keys on Arthur Ashe Stadium – even celebrating prematurely by mistake.
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Earlier in the day, Gauff won her way through with a dominant win over Karolina Muchova.
Keys, the tournament’s No.17 seed, stunned Sabalenka early by winning the first set 6-0 before serving for the second set, but failed to close out the match.
On several occasions, Keys looked like she would go on to win the match – finding herself up 4-2 in both the second and third sets.
After being broken early in the second set, Sabalenka threw her racquet towards her coaching box in frustration.
However, she rallied from behind and after two hours and 20 minutes the match was forced to a deciding match tiebreak where the Belarusian quickly shot out to a 4-0 lead.
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Sabalenka completes epic comeback
In a slightly embarrassing moment at 7-3 up in the match tiebreak, Sabalenka briefly thought she had clinched victory, throwing her hands up in celebration and looking relieved.
Under a new rule, which was brought in at this year’s Australian Open, the winner of a final set tiebreak is the first player to reach 10 points with at least a two-point winning margin instead of seven as is the case in the other sets.
Speaking to Australian legend Renae Stubbs post-match, Sabalenka was able to laugh at her error.
“I thought that we played that [tiebreak] up to seven. I don’t know I was just all over the place and it was crazy,” she said with a grin.
“But thanks to my team for reminding me that I actually have to get to 10.
“I’m really happy that after that reaction I was able to stay focused and I was able to finish this match because it could have been the other way round.”
Gauff, a 19-year-old from Florida, reached her first final at Flushing Meadows by defeating Muchova 6-4, 7-5 on what was anything but an ordinary evening.
The toughest part for Gauff might have been closing out the victory – she needed six match points to get it done, raucously supported by a loud, partisan crowd that chair umpire Alison Hughes repeatedly implored to quiet down.
After failing to convert one match point while serving for the win at 5-3, then another four in what turned out to be the last game, Gauff got the last chance she would need when she smacked a forehand winner to cap a 40-stroke exchange that was the longest of the contest. Muchova then missed a backhand to end it.
Gauff wins after insane 40-shot rally
Gauff pumped her fists, waved to the fans, and put a finger to her ear as if to say she wanted to hear even more home support.
“Some of those points, it was so loud, and I don’t know if my ears are going to be OK,” said Gauff, the first American teenager to make it to the title match in New York since Serena Williams in 2001.
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“I grew up watching this tournament so much, so it means a lot to be in the final. A lot to celebrate,” Gauff said.
“But the job is not done, so hopefully you can back me on Saturday (Sunday AEST).”
Gauff’s victory was put on hold for more than 45 minutes when a climate protester glued himself to the stadium and police were called in.
– with AP