The US Open final in women’s singles has been decided: Coco Gauff, the 19-year-old American, will play against Aryna Sabalenka, the number 2 seed from Belarus.
The championship match, scheduled for Saturday at 4 p.m. Eastern, will be Gauff’s first appearance in a US Open final, making her the first American teenager since Serena Williams in 2001 to reach the final in New York. Gauff has previously played in a Grand Slam final in 2022 when she lost the French Open to Iga Swiatek.
The 25-year-old Sabalenka will also be playing in a US Open final for the first time, having reached the semifinals of the tournament in 2021 and 2022. Sabalenka has performed well in Grand Slams this year. She won the Australian Open for her first Grand Slam title in January and reached the semifinals of the French Open and Wimbledon.
Here’s what you should know about the game.
Your way to the final.
Prior to the semifinals, Sabalenka had sailed through the tournament, winning her first five games without dropping a set. That streak ended in Thursday’s semifinals against Madison Keys, who took the first set 6-0 from Sabalenka in a quick 30 minutes. But Sabalenka fought back and won the next two sets in the tiebreaker.
Gauff’s games weren’t that easy. She played full three sets in the first round against Laura Siegemund, in the third round against Elise Mertens and in the fourth round against Caroline Wozniacki.
But since then, Gauff has picked up back-to-back straight-set wins. In the quarterfinals against Yelena Ostapenko, she won 6-0, 6-2 in just over an hour. In the semifinals, Gauff defeated Karolina Muchova 6-4, 7-5.
Gauff leads the head-to-head race.
Sabalenka and Gauff have played each other five times and Gauff has won three of those games. The final will be the first time the two have played each other in a Grand Slam tournament.
Sabalenka won her last match in straight sets in the Indian Wells quarterfinals earlier this year. After her match on Thursday, Sabalenka said she wasn’t thinking about that win because Gauff has improved since then.
Gauff came to the US Open this year after winning titles in Washington, D.C. and at the Western & Southern Open in Ohio.
“It’s a different player,” Sabalenka said. “Going into this final I think I just have to focus on myself and prepare for another fight. No matter what happens, just keep fighting and keep playing my best and doing my best.”
Gauff is in the spotlight.
Gauff has been in the spotlight almost constantly since turning pro at age 14, and is often described as heir to the throne of Serena Williams. Gauff confirmed those descriptions for many when she reached her first Grand Slam singles final at the French Open last year at just 18 years old.
As the last remaining American in the tournament, the focus is now once again on Gauff. Gauff said after her match on Thursday that she avoided social media to block out people’s expectations of her.
“I really focused on myself,” she said. “I really believe I have the maturity and ability to do it now. Regardless of what happens on Saturday, I’m really proud of how I’ve handled the last few weeks.”
Still, Gauff is aiming for her first Grand Slam tournament title, and after winning on Thursday she said in court that “the job is not done,” a reference to basketball star Kobe Bryant, who died in a helicopter crash in 2020 came.
“That’s the mentality I have,” Gauff said. “I’m trying to enjoy the moment, but I also know that I still have a lot to do. Yes, the final is an incredible achievement, but I’m not satisfied with that yet.”
Don’t count out Sabalenka.
After losing the first set of her semifinal match on Thursday without winning a single game, Sabalenka trailed Keys 2-4 in the second set. But Sabalenka fought back and forced a tiebreak in the second set and then again in the third set.
“I’m really proud that I was able to turn this game around,” said Sabalenka.
Thursday evening was not the first time that Sabalenka made such a comeback. At last year’s tournament, Sabalenka lost to Kaia Kanepi 2-6, 1-5 in a second-round match. The match was lost to Kanepi until Sabalenka fought back and won the second and then the third set.
Sabalenka said the best way to practice comebacks is in tournaments, but even in practice she can imagine being down 4-1 in a set.
A world No. 1 place awaits.
Even if Sabalenka were to lose Saturday’s final, she would be the new women’s world No. 1 on Monday when the WTA rankings are updated. Sabalenka is guaranteed the top spot after Swiatek, who reigned as No. 1 player for 75 weeks, was eliminated in the fourth round at the US Open.
After her fourth-round match against Daria Kasatkina on Monday, Sabalenka said she wasn’t thinking about first place yet.
“I don’t want to celebrate anything before the end of the US Open,” she said. “I just want to focus more on this tournament than being No. 1 in the world.”