Remember the last time Aryna Sabalenka stood on the GS final stage? It was in Melbourne earlier this year, on the cusp of a historic Australian Open three-peat, until Madison Keys crushed that dream, raising the Stars and Stripes Down Under. But Sabalenka vowed, “I’ll keep working and make sure that next time, if I’ll be in this situation, I’ll play definitely better.” True to her word, she roared past Iga Swiatek in Paris yesterday, an explosive display of raw power on clay. Now, as she gears up to face another American, Coco Gauff, Andy Roddick hails the Belarusian’s brilliance with the red dirt crown within reach. His thoughts?
World No. 1 Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka shattered Iga Swiatek’s 26-match unbeaten French Open streak yesterday, powering her way into her 1st Roland Garros final with a 7-6(1), 4-6, 6-0 triumph on Thursday. Her commanding display not only halted Swiatek’s bid to become the 1st woman in the Open Era to claim four straight titles in Paris but also put Sabalenka within touching distance of her 4th Grand Slam title, and her first beyond hard courts, to face Coco Gauff.
And as Aryna Sabalenka eyes clay-court glory, former US Open champion Andy Roddick is all in, hailing Sabalenka’s stunning achievement against a generational clay-court legend like Swiatek.
Speaking on his podcast “Served”, former US Open champion Andy Roddick didn’t hold back in praising Aryna Sabalenka after her stunning win over Iga Swiatek yesterday. Reflecting on her dominant performance, Andy said, “Sabalenka is like there’s an argument she’s the best big match player in the world right now, 6-0 in the third against the person who’s won four of the last five years at a Slam event. It’s weird to say it’s her worst surface, cuz she’s so good on clay also, but it’s probably her least favorite surface, or at minimum, the surface that she’s had to work the hardest to become really good on. Nothing about her skill set instantly translates to clay.”
Image courtesy – Imago
Roddick then delved into the most jaw-dropping moment of the match: Aryna Sabalenka’s bagel in the third set. “And is like “oh, I just step on clay and it’s better, right?” It is that way on hardcore grass court 6-0 in the third against a legend like Iga, Mike, this stat, do you know what I’m about to say this stat? Zero unforced errors against Iga Swiatek on clay in the semis of Roland-Garros in the third set. Zero unforced errors now, it’s not as if she’s playing a game where you know she’s one of these people that just doesn’t miss and doesn’t take risks. Zero unforced errors while also hitting the biggest ball in the world, unbelievable. ”
Later in the podcast, he predicts Sabalenka will win the tournament over Coco Gauff. “Sabalenka rolled,” he added. “I don’t know that she can be stopped. I think she’s the favorite. I think she’s, and I don’t say this dismissively or disrespectfully to anyone else, and I’ve been saying it for a couple of months now, I think she’s the favorite in any tournament she’s in right now,” later admitting, “I think she wins the final.”
True to Roddick’s words, though, Sabalenka’s power and precision were unmatched. With the roof closed over ‘Court Philippe-Chatrier’ because of the rain, the calm conditions only amplified the intensity of play. Both players produced high-quality tennis, but in the decisive moments, the top seed’s bold ball-striking overwhelmed Swiatek. The Polish star committed 12 unforced errors in the final set, while Sabalenka played flawless tennis with “Zero”.
As for Aryna Sabalenka, her triumph over Swiatek was a testament to her evolution on clay. Taking down the reigning clay queen wasn’t easy, but it also proved she’s more than ready for her first-ever French Open final!
Sabalenka opens up on SF victory while looking forward to face Coco Gauff at final
Aryna Sabalenka has firmly cemented herself as one of the most dominant forces in women’s tennis after yesterday’s match. Even before stepping onto the clay in Paris, she had already made 6 finals this season, the most by any woman entering the French Open since iconic Serena Williams in 2013. She demonstrates her consistent performance by reaching three consecutive Grand Slam finals. This achievement mirrors Serena Williams’ 2016 performance across the Australian Open, French Open, and Wimbledon.
But beating Iga Swiatek, especially on clay and at Roland Garros, was no small feat. Sabalenka delivered a statement performance in the SF, closing it out with a flawless 6-0 third set. Reflecting on that dominant finish, she admitted, “I mean, 6-love. What can I say? Couldn’t be more perfect than that. It feels incredible, but I also understand that the job is not done yet.”
She further praised her Polish rival, saying, “She’s the toughest opponent, especially on the clay, especially at Roland Garros. I’m proud that I was able to get this win. It was a tough match … but I managed it, somehow.”
Now, with her 1st clay court, Grand Slam title in sight and revenge for the 2023 US Open final on the line, can the Belarusian seal the deal, or will Coco Gauff flip the script again?
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