Current World No.1 and defending French Open champion Iga Swiatek is all set for her semifinal clash against sixth seed Aryna Sabalenka with a place in the final up for grabs. Swiatek who has already captured the French Open will be looking to add another feather to her impressive cap as she targets her first US Open title.
Swiatek reached her first US Open semi-final on Wednesday with a 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) win over Jessica Pegula of the United States. Swiatek will be wary of the fact that she needs to avoid the mistakes that she made in the quarterfinal. There were 13 breaks and 61 errors in the clash against Pegula and will therefore avoid another error-prone contest.
Swiatek lost her serve six times, but her astonishing defense saved the day. Comparatively, Sabalenka finished the match with 30 winners and 28 unforced errors, which in share contrast was a worrying sign. Swiatek had 22 winners and 32 unforced errors and another poor day at the office could cost her a place in the final of the US Open.
Head-to-Head
The meeting on Friday morning will be the fifth time the pair will clash in their career, with Swiatek having a clear edge. As things stand, the World No.1 leads the affair 3-1, while winning the last affair in the Italian Open on Clay courts of Rome. The only time Sabalenka has managed to get the better of the Pol was in the WTA finals last year when she ran out victorious by 2-6 6-2 7-5.
Sabalenka on the flip side is into back-to-back semifinals in New York and is playing no-nonsense tennis with high confidence after narrowly escaping defeat earlier in the week. She will be wary of her opposite number and will have to bring her ‘Á-Game’ into play if she will have to outclass her opponent.
Match Details
Date: September 8, 2022.
Tournament: US Open 2022.
Round: Semifinal.
Venue: New York, United States.
Surface: Hard.
Match timing: Approx. 8:30 pm local time, and 6 am IST.
Live telecast: India - Sony Liv, Sony Ten & Sony Six.