Aryna Sabalenka will contest yet another US Open final, and this time, she wants to learn from the past lessons.
In the past four years, there hasn't been a better performer at the US Open than Sabalenka. In 2021, she reached the semi-finals, only losing to Leylah Fernandez in a brutal three-setter, 6-7(3), 6-4, 4-6.
The following year, she reached the semi-final stage again but was overpowered by Iga Swiatek, who completed a comeback, winning 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 to reach the final and subsequently win her first hard-court major.
Last year, the Belarusian made it to the final of the New York Slam, but Coco Gauff proved to be too strong to overcome, as the American won the match 2-6, 6-3, 6-2.
For a good part of the match, it looked like Sabalenka was in the driving seat, controlling the match, with Coco Gauff unable to do anything to change that. However, also with the help of the loud crowd, the American was able to complete a sensational comeback and win her maiden major.
This year, to win the US Open, Sabalenka won't need to beat one but two American players back-to-back. She already has one of those wins in her bag, beating Emma Navarro in two sets in the semi-final.
Although the World No. 2 won in two sets, 6-3, 7-6(2), she held a one-break lead in the second set, and also thanks to the home crowd support, Emma Navarro almost turned the set around.
After the match, Sabalenka was asked about the American crowd and how she managed to overcome their loud cheers, realizing that the fact that they were cheering for her opponent didn't necessarily mean that it would make her play better.
"I would say that, I mean, today wasn't that crazy, actually. They were loud, but during the point they were respectful and chill, you know. Last year they were just super loud, even during the point. It was that loud, so it was blocking my ears, so that was, like, so much pressure."
"I think the mistake was that I was focusing on myself, but I didn't think that she's actually also on the same court, feeling the same loudness from the crowd, and we all in the same conditions. Yeah, they're cheering for her, but how can they help her to win the match?"
Sabalenka realized that while the crowd can motivate her opponent to perform better when she dictates the rallies on the court, only when they impact her can she lose the match.
That's why the 26-year-old wants to focus only on her side of the court and not lose her head when the crowd cheers for her opponent. It worked for her in the semi-final, and she will hope it will also work in the final against Jessica Pegula, yet another American.
"Only if I let them get into my head and only if I'm gonna just lose myself, you know, get crazy. So, yeah, that's the trickiest is the loudness of how loud it can be on this stadium."
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