Even at the quarter-final stage, world number one Swiatek was the only player left in either singles draw with a Slam title to her name, let alone two. With the 2020 and 2022 French Open trophies under her belt, the Pole’s best US Open result came last year when she reached the fourth round before losing to Belinda Bencic in straight sets. Her best hard court Major run came at the Australian Open at the start of this season, losing to Danielle Collins in straight sets there.

 

 

Prior to New York this year, Jabeur had never made it to the second week of the US Open, falling in the third round in each of her last three appearances. Like Swiatek, her best result at a hard court Slam came at the Australian Open, making the quarter-finals of the 2020 event. Otherwise, she reached the Wimbledon final back in July, meaning her run to the championship match in Flushing Meadows sees her become just the sixth woman to reach her first two Major finals at consecutive tournaments.

 

Head-to-head: Swiatek 2-2 Jabeur

In four meetings it is honours even between Jabeur and Swiatek, including encounters at WTA 1000 and Slam level. Their first showdown came at the 2019 Washington Open, when an 18-year-old Swiatek beat the more experienced Tunisian 4-6, 6-4, 6-4. A little under two years on at Wimbledon 2021, the two met once more in the fourth round. Jabeur was having a breakout tournament on the grass, and she continued that form to overcome Swiatek from a set down 5-7, 6-1, 6-1.

 

 

They met again early on at the Cincinnati Open, Jabeur once again getting the better of her younger opponent in their second hard court encounter. Finally, they met for a fourth time, this time on clay, arguably the strongest surface for both women, in the final of the Italian Open. Jabeur came into Rome off a maiden WTA 1000 title in Madrid, though the amount of tennis she was playing had taken its toll as Swiatek rolled past her 6-2, 6-2 for her fifth career WTA 1000 title and second in the Italian capital.

 

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