By Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, September 8, 2022
Ons Jabeur dismissed Caroline Garcia 6-1, 6-3 to make history as the first North African, Arab and Tunisian woman to reach the US Open final.
Photo credit: Sarah Stier/Getty
NEW YORK—Midway through the second set, Caroline Garcia tried to change course of a lopsided US Open semifinal moving forward.
Flicking her Wilson racquet, Ons Jabeur conjured a rainbow lob freezing the Frenchwoman in futility.
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That sequence summed up this semifinal: Garcia adopted aggressive postures and a creative Jabeur played over her head to puncture it.
A disarming Jabeur dismissed Cincinnati champion Garcia 6-1, 6-3 to make history as the first North African, Arab and Tunisian woman to reach the US Open final.
It was Jabeur's 12th victory in her last 13 major matches.
"It feels amazing," Jabeur told ESPN's Pam Shriver in her on-court interview. "After Wimbledon [finals] a lot of pressure on me and I'm really relieved I can back up my results. And the hard-court season started a little bit bad, but now I'm very happy that I made it to the finals here."
The Tunisian trailblazer dubbed “Minister of Happiness” by fans in her home country for her perpetually-positive outlook was wearing a satsfied smile of joy after reaching her second sraight Grand Slam final.
Two months ago, Jabeur beat buddy Tatjana Maria 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 to become the first Tunisian, first Arab and first African woman to reach a major final at Wimbledon where she fell to Elena Rybakina.
On Saturday, Jabeur will play for history and a maiden Grand Slam title against either world No. 1 Iga Swiatek or big-hitting Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka.
Superior serve and nerve were the key components to Jabeur defeating Garcia for the third time in as many meetings.
The No. 5-seeded Jabeur jammed eight aces, won 19 of 23 first-serve points and did not face a single break point in a dominant 65-minute win. While Garcia has had great success stepping several feet inside the baseline to terrorize opponent's serves, that tactice backfired against Jabeur, who repeatedly left the Frenchwoman lunging at returns.
"[Serving was] so important especially I know she comes in the court and puts a lot of pressure on my second serves," Jabeur said. "So I had to put more serves in. The second set she was playing much better. I'm really glad she didn't break at the end because it was gonna be tough if it was 5-4."
Riding a career-best 13-match winning streak into her maiden major semifinal, Garcia ran into both numbing nerves and a sharp Jabeur.
Tonight's first semifinal was a clash of contrasting styles pitting Jabeur's flair for finesse and masterful mix of spins against Garcia's ballistic serving and sniper returns often struck from several feet inside the baseline. Ultimately, it was Jabeur's serving and her variety that overwhelmed Garcia.
Wimbledon finalist Jabeur had won both of their prior meetings—in he 2019 US Open first round and 2020 Australian Open second round—and broke to open tonight as a twitchy Garcia botched a forehand volley and sailed a backhand.
Jabeur slid successive aces winning 10 of the first 12 points confirming the break for 2-0.
Two-time Roland Garros doubles champion Garcia had won a Tour-best 31 main-draw matches since the start of June. The Frenchwoman was flat and tight in the early stages tonight. A rushed Garcia put a pair of backhands into net, gifting a second break and a 4-1 lead to Jabeur.
Earlier this summer, Jabeur partnered Serena Williams in the 23-time Grand Slam champion's doubles return. Launching herself into a precise toss, Jabeur channeled her inner Serena smacking six aces in streaking out to a 5-1 lead after just 20 minutes of play.
Jumping all over a second serve, Jabeur hooked a forehand return down the line for double-set point. Jabeur's forehand hit the tape and popped over. Garcia lined up a forehand but bashed it wide as Jabeur capped a commanding 23-minute set with her third break in the Frenchwoman's four service games.
It was the first set Garcia dropped in the entire tournament and was a sign of things to come.
Cincinnati champion Garcia sought to stabilize after a shaky start. Pushing her opponent side-to-side, Jabeur accelerated through a crosscourt forehand firing a clean winner for break point in the fourth game. Angling a deep crosscourt return, Jabeur drew a netted Garcia and screamed in celebration converting her fourth break point in as many chances for a 3-1 second-set lead.
Playing clean combinations, Jabeur was barely putting a foot wrong, while Garcia, who dropped serve more in this match than she did in five prior tournament matches, was desperate to stall her dive.
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A calm Jabeur cranked a 110 mph ace and clocked a clever backhand down the line to set up a short ball in the fifth game. Jabeur navigated her toughest hold of the evening for 4-1.
Whipping the wide serve, Jabeur created space to shovel a forehand down the line for match point.
When Garcia stuck a forehand return into the tape the Tunisian trailblazer was through to her first US Open final and second straight Grand Slam title match.
"The finals is not about tennis," Jabeur said. "You have to play and win a final."