Coco Gauff is in the US Open final and will try to win her maiden Grand Slam trophy on home soil against Aryna Sabalenka.
And then there were two: Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka. After two weeks of tennis, it's come down to this; who might win the trophy? It's a very good question, one we'll try to answer in the coming paragraphs but there are some things to note.
This is the second Grand Slam final for both players. Sabalenka won her first earlier this year in Melbourne, while Gauff lost to Iga Swiatek in Paris. Despite that, Sabalenka is the far more experienced player, having played for longer and been in more WTA finals than Gauff.
They have both been amazing so far in New York, though Sabalenka has had the better year overall. Even so, Gauff has been the better player recently entering this match with an an active 11-match winning streak. So, how did they match up so far?
Head-to-head:
Well, Gauff bested Sabalenka more times than the other way around. We only saw five matches, but it's 3-2 for the American. The most recent one earlier this year in Indian Wells was won by Sablenka 6-4 6-0. Will it be like that again? No chance.
Prediction:
Gauff is a far more confident player right now even with the obvious flaws. The forehand is holding up but it's going to be a problem in this matchup. I just don't see her staying as consistent with it as Sabalenka can with hers.
I don't see her generating the same power either, but she is far quicker around the court than Sabalenka. She can wear her opponent down and will have to if she wants to win. She can't win a gunslinger duel from the baseline against Sabalenka; at least, I don't see it happening.
Prediction: Aryna Sabalenka to win in three sets.
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