In a riveting showdown between undoubtedly the two most exciting players on the women’s tour, Iga Swiatek stormed to victory against Ons Jabeur at tonight’s U.S. Open final 6-2, 7-6 (5), following a twisty second set that culminated in a nail-biting tiebreak. In doing so, the 21-year-old Swiatek has become the first Polish woman in history to become a U.S. Open champion, while also adding a third Grand Slam title to her rapidly-growing resume, having won the French Open both in 2020 and earlier this year.
Following a period in which the women’s game felt wide open for a dominant new force to emerge—with several prominent players curtailed by everything from early retirements to injuries—Swiatek is shaping up to be the next generation’s most promising star. (Indeed, with her victories at both Roland Garros and the U.S. Open, she has become the first female player since Angelique Kerber in 2016 to win two Grand Slams in the same year.) This year’s U.S. Open will enter the history books as the last hurrah of the all-time great Serena Williams, but there is every chance it could also be remembered for minting Swiatek as a serious contender well beyond her comfort zone of clay.
The first set saw Swiatek in full command, playing with a relentless ferocity from all corners of the court. While the Polish player has had a streaky, not-always-consistent summer on tour, she essentially became a human backboard in the first set, returning virtually everything Jabeur hit in her direction. Even when Jabeur began to pick up steam, as she did during a thrilling return game while down 3-0, Swiatek pushed back with force, eventually taking the first set in 30 minutes.
Jabeur finally found her groove early in the second set, with the two players trading service breaks, and then, with Swiatek serving at 4-4 in that set, locking into what was essentially a battle of wills for the rest of the set. At one point, it seemed likely the match would extend into a third set—a testament to Jabeur’s tenacity and endurance, with her underdog spirit and endlessly creative play leading to roars from the crowd. But as the pair reached a tiebreak, a handful of more scattered shots and errors from Jabeur were no match for Swiatek’s laser-sharp focus. Once again holding her mettle in the high pressure of a Grand Slam final—and keeping her head in the game despite a very rowdy crowd—it was a richly deserved victory for Swiatek.
Still, Jabeur’s determination to fight back, even at moments when Swiatek’s victory seemed all but certain, serves as proof positive she will continue to be a formidable opponent for the Pole. “Ons, I mean, such an amazing tournament, such an amazing season,” Swiatek said after the match. “I know that this is already a pretty nice rivalry and we’re gonna have many more and I’m pretty sure you’re gonna win some of them.”
Indeed, Jabeur’s performance in Queens was historic all its own, making her the first African and Arab woman to reach the U.S. Open final. “It really means a lot,” she said after the match. “I try to push myself to do more. Getting the major is one of the goals and hopefully I can inspire more and more generations. That’s the goal. This is just the beginning of so many things.”
Still to come, however? The men’s final, which pits Norway’s Caspar Ruud against Spanish wunderkind Carlos Alcaraz tomorrow night, with the winner taking home not just their first Grand Slam but the world’s number-one ranking. The history-making victories at this year’s U.S. Open aren’t over yet.
