US Open 2022, Women's Final Highlights: Iga Swiatek beats Ons Jabeur 6-2, 7-6 to win her third major title

Iga Swiatek at the ceremony

“Before this tournament, I wasn’t expecting much. I really needed to stay composed, this tournament was challenging. New York is so loud, so crazy. Ons you’ve had such an amazing tournament, an amazing year. The hard work you guys do through the year.”

“I am proud that tennis is doing well back home. I am repeating what Ons said because she’s been an inspiration too. In these times when we have to stick together, be united, I am glad to be able to make a difference through our sport”

Ons Jabeur at the ceremony

“I want to thank the crowd for cheering me up. I really tried but Iga didn’t make it easy for me. I don’t like her very much right now but it’s okay. I am going to keep working hard and I will get that title sometime soon.”

“It means a lot to me. I push myself to do more, winning a major is one towards it. I got inspired by many champions – Martina Navratilova here, Arantxa Sanchez Vicario. I hope I can inspire many more kids and this is just the beginning”

IGA SWIATEK IS THE US OPEN CHAMPION!

Iga Swiatek beats Ons Jabeur 6-2, 7-6 to win the US Open title for her first success in New York. This is the third Grand Slam title for Swiatek. She is the first woman to win two majors in the same year since 2016. Unfortunately for Jabeur, she’s now lost two consecutive major finals.

TIEBREAK

Swiatek 4-3 Jabeur: Jabeur quickly collects herself, calms down and delivers a big serve that goes unreturned

Swiatek 4-4 Jabeur: Body serve from Iga and had the forehand to go into the attack but sends it into the net instead. Nerves, probably, coming into play here

Swiatek 4-5 Jabeur: Swiatek with another big serve, Jabeur with a defensive return but Iga goes for too much on the backhand. 

Swiatek 5-5 Jabeur: Jabeur gets an ace but there is a let involved. She gets the first serve once again but not enough venom on it. Same cannot be said for Iga’s forehand that kisses the line and goes away for a winner

Swiatek 6-5 Jabeur: A lazy forehand into the net from Jabeur and Iga Swiatek has match point – her second

Swiatek 7-5 Jabeur: Jabeur sends the forehand long and Swiatek collapses near the baseline in joy!

TIEBREAK

Swiatek gets the tiebreak underway.

Swiatek 1-0 Jabeur: Remarkable backhand winner down the line from Ons and that is as good a start as they go

Swiatek 1-1 Jabeur: Deflates the energy of the previous point with a poor error and it is 1-1

Swiatek 2-1 Jabeur: Make that two errant shots in a row. Two rather unnecessary rushed shots from Jabeur

Swiatek 2-2 Jabeur: Jabeur gets lucky as the net takes the ball over and makes it challenging for Swiatek to control the ball. She sends it long

Swiatek 3-2 Jabeur: Swiatek with a big first serve and the return is long

Swiatek 4-2 Jabeur: Jabeur is pissed off! A poor shot and she kicks the ball away in anger. Mouths to her box after at change of ends

Swiatek 6-2, 6-6 Jabeur (* denotes next server)

Once again, Jabeur serving to stay in the match. And she starts poorly to go 0-30 down quickly. But does well to make it 30-30 in a flash. Jabeur sends her forehand wide and Swiatek has a Championship point. She quickly runs to her chair to get a new racket. Jabeur saves it! Iga sends the backhand long and brings the game to deuce. Powerful serve down the T and the serve return doesn’t come back. Holds!

Swiatek 6-2, 6-5 *Jabeur (* denotes next server)

The crowd is on its feet after some sensational shot-making and court coverage from both players. Improvised shot-making at its finest from both players. Iga picking up from Ons’ drop shot and then both trade shots at the net. Swiatek finally holds after Jabeur’s attempted drop shot doesn’t come off

STAT!

Swiatek* 6-2, 5-5 Jabeur (* denotes next server)

Jabeur serving to stay in the match. Starts by sending her forehand into the net after being put under pressure with a running shot. Makes it 15-15 as Iga misses her forehand while looking to keep the ball deep. Jabeur sends her forehand wide this time. 15-30. Jabeur with powerful, confident ball-striking on the forehand and it draws the miss. Ons moves up to the short ball and it is played behind Iga who tries to slice it but gets the angle wrong. At 40-30, Jabeur’s serve goes unreturned. And it is 5-5!

Swiatek 6-2, 5-4 *Jabeur (* denotes next server)

Swiatek misses a smash and later Jabeur displays incredible hands at the net. A Swiatek forehand miss brings up break point for Ons. And one goes away after a remarkable rally and Jabeur goes for a touch too much. Second break point also goes away. Jabeur upset with people yelling mid-point. Serve on deuce is right into Jabeur’s body and that is impeccable timing for such a serve. On game point, Swiatek serves a double fault. Jabeur forces herself into the point, plundering some massive shots and one forehand brings up break point with Swiatek sending her backhand into the net. Once again, the break point is into the net. With seven minutes played, both players under so much pressure. This game is huge! Swiatek with sensational get and then Ons looks to up the ante but overcooks her backhand. HOLD! Serve return goes long. And Iga Swiatek holds after fending off three break points.

JABEUR IS PUMPED!

Swiatek* 6-2, 4-4 Jabeur (* denotes next server)

WHAT A COMEBACK! Swiatek sends the serve return into the net and Jabeur makes it 4-4. Three serves unreturned in that game. The Tunisian has won four of the last five games

What will it be?

Swiatek 6-2, 4-3 *Jabeur (* denotes next server)

Jabeur’s coach urges her to be positive and she listens by powering two cracking forehand winners and has two break points. But they quickly come and go with poor groundstrokes. She has another chance with a forehand forcing Iga into a miss. Ons’ box is up in numbers. And BREAK! Jabeur with a sublime forehand down the line and Swiatek’s backhand hits the top of the tape but doesn’t go over

Swiatek* 6-2, 4-2 Jabeur (* denotes next server)

Swiatek with two thundering backhands and she has a break point to retain her advantage. Not so fast, says Ons! The Tunisian directs every ball to Swiatek’s forehand and it goes long. On deuce, Jabeur continues to go after the forehand but this time Swiatek rocks a winner deep into the court. On break point, Jabeur plays defensive tennis, and effectively at that, until the pressure gets too much and the forehand goes long. BREAK!

Swiatek 6-2, 3-2 *Jabeur (* denotes next server)

Jabeur looks to be distracted by the support for Ons and shouting in between serves. Mistakes on the serve brings up two break points. Ons needs just the one. Jabeur with a powerful forehand at Swiatek, who is at the net, and the volley is not picked up. BREAK! Just like the opening set, Jabeur wins two straight games from 0-3 down

Swiatek* 6-2, 3-1 Jabeur (* denotes next server)

A fourth double fault from Ons and Swiatek has two break points. One saved as Swiatek sends the forehand serve return into the net. Another saved. A powerful one-two from Ons – serve wide on the backhand and a forehand winner down the line. Deuce. Jabeur looks to go behind Swiatek with a flat forehand but doesn’t clear the net. Another break point for Iga. Serve down the T and Swiatek returns into the net. Someone yelled out during the serve motion and Iga is not pleased. Once again Jabeur goes down the T and the return is into the net. Make that three straight serves downt he T that don’t come back. Ons is on the board and does so by coming from 15-40 down

Swiatek 6-2, 3-0 *Jabeur (* denotes next server)

Swiatek with a poor game to go 15-30 down. And then Jabeur with two misses on the backhand. Looked to send a surprise drop shot on the jump but doesn’t climb the net. The second miss is flush into the net. At 40-30, Swiatek with a backhand winner down the line to hold. That is six straight games for Iga now.

First set in numbers

Swiatek* 6-2, 2-0 Jabeur (* denotes next server)

Jabeur throws her racket away in frustration. She went for a drop shot after a lengthy rally but the ball wasn’t right for the drop. One of her best shots lands into the net after a bounce. But she goes on to save break point. Has the chance to hold after a forehand winner but follows it up with an error on the same wing. Swiatek gets the luck of the net and the ball bounces up for Ons. She had the court open to go down the line but goes cross instead and Swiatek is there to send it back. On second break point of the game, Swiatek runs along to the net and smacks a backhand winner on a ball that sat up on Jabeur’s volley. BREAK!

Swiatek one set down, one to go

FIRST SET: IGA SWIATEK 6-2

Iga Swiatek won the first three games in a row and now she wins the last three games consecutively to seal the opening set in her favour. Takes 30 minutes and she’s halfway to the crown

Swiatek* 6-2 Jabeur (* denotes next server)

Jabeur with two errors in the game and she once again has two break points to fend off. And is unable to do so. Her backhand finds the net and after half an hour, Swiatek has the opening set

Matthew Perry in the stands for the Women’s Final

Swiatek holds at 15 and she is 5-2 up in the first set

Swiatek* 4-2 Jabeur (* denotes next server)

Jabeur is frustrated and upset with herself after an error gives Swiatek two break points. She saves one with a big first serve but not the second. BREAK! Swiatek quickly jumps on to a low ball near the net and smacks the forehand for a winner. She has the break advantage back

Swiatek 3-2 *Jabeur (* denotes next server)

What a glorious start to the game! Swiatek and Jabeur trade volleys at the net and it is Iga who gets the point with some perfect reflexes. Now Jabeur gets back with some thundering down the line winners – first on the forehand and then on the backhand. She follows it up with a forehand cross court winner to bring up two break points (15-40). First one goes away after Jabeur tries to flatten it out but sends it well wide. She converts the second! BREAK! Jabeur with a forehand winner clutching the line and we’re back on serve

Swiatek* 3-1 Jabeur (* denotes next server)

Jabeur is on the board! Swiatek sends the forehand wide, narrowly, and the Tunisian player is on the board. Maybe this is what she needs to make a comeback.

Swiatek 3-0 *Jabeur (* denotes next server)

Swiatek holds after dropping another point on serve. She is on the prowl and attacking Jabeur who is yet to find her range so far. The tricky shot-making that is unique to Jabeur is yet to make an appearance. A backhand serve return goes long and Swiatek leads. Jabeur has won just 2 points thus far

Swiatek* 2-0 Jabeur (* denotes next server)

SWIATEK BREAKS! Poor start from Jabeur though. She’s not getting the feet moving in what is a potential sign of nerves. After being pushed into a forehand miss, on three break points, she mumbles towards her box. This is not a good start – unlike how she got going vs Garcia

Swiatek 1-0 *Jabeur (* denotes next server)

Swiatek starts with a routine serve hold. Barring an errant backhand volley, a simple way to get going for the World No 1

Iga Swiatek wins the toss and she has decided to serve first in the women’s final

Swiatek is the first woman from Poland in the Open Era to make it beyond the last 16 at the US Open

Jabeur, who is the first African woman in Open Era to reach US Open final, takes court first

Run to the final: Ons Jabeur

Ons Jabeur has dropped just one set on the way to the US Open final – to Shelby Rogers. In her most recent clash, against Caroline Garcia, she snapped the Frenchwoman’s 13-match winning run

Run to the final: Iga Swiatek

Swiatek has come from behind in two of her six matches at the US Open. Against Sabalenka, in the semi-final, she dropped the first set and trailed by a break of serve twice in the decider

Head-to-head: Swiatek and Jabeur are 2-2 on head-to-head. The Polish player won their most recent meeting, in Rome, in straight sets

A quick snapshot of the two finalists

Can someone remind Ons she’s got a final on Ashe to play?