Aryna Sabalenka was down a break in the final set of the match against Madison Keys but she didn't give up and secured the final at the 2023 US Open.
Aryna Sabalenka unlocked a mode that we haven't seen before this year. She's far more stable in most matches, both mentally and when it comes to her tennis. She still commits double faults, and she still overhits at times, but it's at a level now that doesn't lose her matches.
It overpowers her opponent so much so that even the best, like Swiatek, struggle to find a response. Madison Keys had solutions especially early in this match, as she smacked Sabalenka 6-0 in the opening set.
Only 31 minutes, which is incredible considering how well Sabalenka can play. She obviously didn't play well, smashing the ball wide too many times while Keys looked good. The American had 12 winners, while Sabalenka totalled 12 unforced errors, and the product of that was a bagel.
The second was much better by Sabalenka, who delivered one of her better serving performances in recent memory.
She had five aces, no double faults, and added 15 winners to win the set 7-1 in the tiebreak. Despite playing better, Sabalenka was still on the verge of defeat, having had to break Keys when she served for the match. Keys saved set point down 5-6, so the set ended in the tiebreak.
The final set opened with Keys saving an early break, which looked crucial when she broke a few games later. At 4-2 in the final set, Keys was on the verge of finishing it off, but she lost her serve to give Sabalenka a chance.
A bad forehand miss by Sabalenka gave Keys another break chance, but Sabalenka saved it. We ended up in a tiebreak, which Sabalenka opened with a 3-0 lead. Keys was just a bit too overwhelmed by the raw power Sabalenka brought. The final score was 0-6 7-6(1) 7-6(5).
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