Sabalenka edges Navarro 6-3, 7-6 to reach second consecutive US Open final

Aryna Sabalenka from Belarus achieved a career-high ranking of #1 last September and is currently ranked and seeded two. She defended her Australian Open title in January and is still seeking her first title in NY having lost the last final in three to Coco Gauff last September.

The endearing twenty-six-year-old has breezed through the draw losing just one set in five matches. Her opponent from Charleston, South Carolina posed a formidable threat. Emma Navarro three years younger, has soared up the rankings and is currently at a career high of #12 and seeded thirteenth.

The 2021 NCAA champion won her first tour-level title in January at the Hobart International (d. Mertens) and scored four top-ten wins including a three-setter over Sabalenka this past March in Indian Wells.

In just her third main draw appearance, she reached the final four and with a partisan crowd in Arthur Ashe Stadium, all bets were off. This was their third tour-level meeting. Sabalenka prevailed in straights in their most recent encounter this past May on the terre battue at Roland Garros.

AP Photo

Sabalenka served first and though she donated a double fault, held to 15 with an ace up the tee while Navarro gifted two forehand errors and dumped serve.

Sabalenka opened the third with her second ace and while she hit another, double-faulted, faced a double break point, and gave it back. The American donated a double fault but with three outstanding winners, consolidated the break for 2-2.

Sabalenka hit two formidable forehand winners and held to 30 for 3-2 while Navarro faced triple break point and dropped serve when her opponent crushed a crosscourt forehand.

The world #2 continued to pummel the ball and dictate play. Although she faced deuce and break point, she consolidated the break for 4-2 with pace, placement, and variety. Navarro serving with new balls made 4/6 first serves and with an ace up the tee, held to 30 for 3-5.

Sabalenka opened the ninth with a winning backhand drop shot and with a blistering backhand down the line, earned double set point and converted when Navarro whiffed the return.

The American served first in the second and made 4/4 first serves including a 101mph serve up the tee to hold at love while Sabalenka struck two additional aces and held to 30 to level.

Navarro with a better first serve percentage kept it close and extracted more errors from the Belarusian. She made 5/6 first serves and held to 30 for 2-1 while Sabalenka hit two tremendous and held at love to level.

Navarro opened the fifth with two consecutive errors, faced break point, and dumped serve with an overcooked backhand while Sabalenka hit two more winners including her sixth ace on game point to consolidate the break for 4-2.

Navarro gives little away in terms of her emotions but with time running out, she banked on the crowd impacting her performance. As the unforced errors continued to accrue, she faced a double break point and two deuce points yet held after Sabalenka committed four forehand errors.

As Ashe Stadium erupted in cheers and applause, the 2023 finalist stepped to line with new balls. She hit two winners including her seventh ace and held to 30 for 5-3. Navarro serving to stay in the match made 5/5 first serves and held easily to 15 as her opponent missed four returns.

Sabalenka serving for the match and a place in the final hit an incredible forehand inside-in but faced double break point and dumped serve when she butchered a backhand crosscourt. It appeared the wheels had fallen off and as her frustration grew so did the crowd’s engagement.

Navarro maintained an aggressive court position and continued to strike the ball with conviction. She made 5/5 first serves and with an extraordinary forehand down the line, held to 15 to lead 6-5.

Sabalenka served to stay in the set and force the breaker. With the pressure mounting, she donated her fourth double fault but held for 6-6 with an inside-in forehand and her eighth ace.

Despite donating her fifth double fault, Sabalenka raced to a 6-2 lead and converted her first match point with a confident overhead smash. She may have lost her way but found her way back to another US Open final.  

She hit more aces than double faults (8/5) and won 74% of first and 45% of second serve points. She saved 3/5 break points while converting 3/6. She was equally effective when returning winning 32% of first and a staggering 75% of second serve return points. While she hit the same number of winners and errors (34) she dictated play on serve and off the ground.

Into her second consecutive US Open final, she awaits the winner of the Jessica Pegula/Karolina Muchova semifinal. Sabalenka leads Pegula 5-2 in the head-to-head with this being their first meeting in NY. Muchova leads the head-to-head 2-1 winning both hardcourt matches. This would be their first meeting at Flushing Meadows with a grand slam trophy and 2000 ranking points on the line.