Curiose scene at the US Open: Aryna Sabalenka already started to cheer in the third set – but the match wasn’t even over yet.
The favoured Aryna Sabalenka prevented an American final at the US Open. She defeated local hero Madison Keys in three sets in the semi-finals. However, the road to the final was quite bumpy for the 25-year-old Belarusian. After a messed up first set, which she lost 0:6, she found her way back into the match and won the second set in a tiebreak 7:6. The third set also went into a tiebreak – and there a curious scene took place.
“That was crazy “
Sabalenka took the point for 7:3, then dropped the racket and put her hands in front of her face. Slight cheers broke out in the audience and Sabalenka strode towards her box. But her coaches only pointed to the court and indicated to her that the game was not over yet. “I thought we were going to play until seven. That was crazy. When I looked in the box, my team told me it was going to ten,” she said explaining the little glitch after the match.
Background: Usually a tiebreak is played with seven winning points. But in the deciding set, a so-called “match tiebreak”, a player needs ten points to decide the set and thus the match in her favour. This detail must have slipped Sabalenka’s mind for a moment. However, her premature jubilation had no consequences. In the end it was 10:5 for Sabalenka and the Belarussian could really celebrate her entry into the final. “I’m glad that I was able to pull it off,” Sabalenka said with relief after the match.
Now the next tough task awaits the Belarusian. In the final, she will meet US young star Coco Gauff, who beat Karolína Muchová in the second semi-final. Surprising scenes occurred in this match as well. The match had to be interrupted for a long time due to an environmental protest
So both players should now be prepared for all eventualities in the final. Who will win the US Open will be revealed on Saturday. However, Sabalenka has already been able to celebrate one success. After the elimination of world number one Iga Świątek in the last 16, it is already clear that Sabalenka will be the new number one as of Monday.
