By Shrivathsa Sridhar
NEW YORK, Sept 11 (Reuters) – Aryna Sabalenka will bring the fire and Elena Rybakina the ice when two of the biggest hitters in the women’s game collide in Saturday’s U.S. Open final, with the Belarusian chasing a hat-trick of titles and the incoming world number one standing in her way.
Sabalenka is bidding to become the first woman since Serena Williams in 2014 to claim three straight titles at Flushing Meadows, while Rybakina arrives assured of the top ranking that she will inherit from the Belarusian on Monday.
The pair will meet in a Grand Slam final for the third time in their enthralling rivalry after splitting two Australian Open title clashes, with Sabalenka triumphing in 2023 and Rybakina gaining revenge this year to perfectly set up another showdown.
“It’s going to be a really tough match,” said Sabalenka, who will look to improve on her 10-7 win-loss record over Rybakina.
“She’s a big server and she has really improved over the years on her baseline game. It’s going to be a physically and mentally tough match.
“But I’m ready for the fight. I’m ready to do everything to get the win, so I’m excited for the match.”
GEOPOLITICAL BACKDROP
Given Sabalenka’s nationality and Rybakina’s Russian roots, the title clash at Arthur Ashe Stadium will carry a geopolitical backdrop amid Russia’s war in Ukraine and the role of Belarus as a staging ground for Moscow’s 2022 invasion of its neighbour.
Sabalenka has kept the focus on her tennis and victory after a disappointing spell midway through the season would hand her a fifth major, moving her level with Maria Sharapova and Martina Hingis.
Although their power-heavy games have produced some of the tour’s most compelling contests, their demeanours could not be more different, with the emotional Sabalenka often feeding off the crowd’s energy and Rybakina’s composure rarely wavering.
Rybakina is looking to cement her place among the elite of the women’s game, with a triumph in New York giving her a third Grand Slam title after her breakthrough success at Wimbledon in 2022 and her Australian Open win this year.
The Russian-born Kazakh’s run to the final comes shortly after an ankle issue threatened to derail her U.S. Open campaign even before it had begun, making her rise to the top all the more remarkable.
MOMENTUM SHIFT
Some of the momentum has swung back towards Sabalenka since the Melbourne final, with the 28-year-old defeating Rybakina in back-to-back meetings at Indian Wells and Miami en route to completing the “Sunshine Double” in March.
“We’ve played many times and we’ve practised before too,” said the 27-year-old Rybakina.
“She’s a very aggressive player. It’s difficult to play her mentally and physically, because she has big game and big serve. I will need to come with all the energy I have, bring my best serve and make the right decisions in the right moments.
“Most of the time it’s tight scores. This is where decisions make a difference. We’ll see what happens, but I definitely will try my best and give it my all.”
Fresh from a commanding 7-5 6-2 semi-final victory over Jessica Pegula and having surrendered only one set at Flushing Meadows, Sabalenka appears to hold a slight advantage heading into Saturday’s showdown.
“I just love New York, I love being here and I love the energy of the city,” Sabalenka said.
“I think that’s what drives me. That’s what really inspires me and pushes me to keep going.”
Rybakina, who battled past Coco Gauff 3-6 6-4 6-4 in the semi-finals, has been pushed far harder than her rival in New York but remains characteristically unfazed by the occasion.
“Even if something goes wrong in the final, I’ll still have other opportunities and other tournaments until the end of the year,” Rybakina added.
“We push each other when we play these matches, and you can clearly see on what you need to work more. I think that’s great that you play against someone who pushes you to the limit.”
U.S. OPEN ORDER OF PLAY ON SATURDAY (prefix number denotes seeding)
ARTHUR ASHE STADIUM (1600 GMT/ 1200 ET)
Men’s doubles (final)
5-Christian Harrison (U.S.)/ Neal Skupski (Britain) v Kevin Krawietz (Germany)/ Tim Puetz (Germany)
Not before 2000 GMT/ 1600 ET
Women’s singles (final)
1-Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus) v 2-Elena Rybakina (Kazakhstan)
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in New York, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
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