US Open: Aryna Sabalenka edges Madison Keys to enter her maiden final
Sep 08, 2023
New York [US], September 8 : Aryna Sabalenka made a remarkable comeback to advance to her maiden US Open final on Friday.
No.2 seed Sabalenka overcomed No.17 seed Madison Keys 0-6, 7-6(1), 7-6[10-5] in their late-night semifinal clash on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Sabalenka was one game away from falling in the unexpected match, trailing 6-0, 5-3, before turning the match around to take a 3-1 lead in her head-to-head with Keys.
Sabalenka had to come back from a break down in the third set to win in a match-tiebreak to take victory after 2 hours and 32 minutes.
Sabalenka is the third woman in the Open Era (since 1968) to win a Grand Slam semifinal after losing the first set 6-0. The other two were Stefanie Graf (vs. Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario at 1992 Roland Garros) and Ana Ivanovic (vs. Daniela Hantuchova at the 2008 Australian Open).
"It was a really incredible match. [Keys] played unbelievable tennis. And I'm really proud of myself that I was able to turn around this game and get this win, because it was just incredible," Sabalenka said accoring to WTA's official website.
"I [kept] reminding myself that I lost a lot of tough matches, one day all those matches should just, like, help me somehow. This kind of thinking helped me to stay in the game and give me some hope that I'll be able to turn around this match, that the match is not over until the last point, and that I just have to keep fighting, keep trying to find my rhythm, my game, just find myself. Magically I finally found the game, and I was able to turn around this match and to get this win," Sabalenka said after the match.
