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Iga Swiatek can cement her status as world number one on Sunday (6am AEST) when she faces history-chasing Ons Jabeur in the US Open’s women’s final.
Swiatek would become the first woman in six years to win two different Grand Slams in the same season if she adds the US Open crown to the French Open title she collected in June.
And she started in sublime fashion by roaring out to a 3-0 lead in just eight minutes. She claimed the first set 6-2 inside half an hour, crushing Jabeur in supreme fashion.
Jabeur landed less than half of her first serves in play, and won just 20% of first serves.
The Polish star picked up right where she left off to begin the second set.
Jabeur threatened to fight her way back into the contest when she broke Swiatek in the fifth game of the second set to bring the score back to 3-2 in Swiatek’s favour, but the No. 1 seed broke straight back to take a 4-2 lead.
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The rising Polish star underscored her resilience in Thursday’s semi-finals, recovering from 4-2 down in the final set to defeat hard-hitting sixth seed Aryna Sabalenka 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
That hard-earned victory left the 21-year-old from Warsaw on the brink of a first Grand Slam title on a surface other than clay.
A two-time champion at Roland Garros, Swiatek admitted before the US Open that she found the uniquely raucous atmosphere at Flushing Meadows a challenging environment.
But she has proven her adaptability over the past fortnight, twice recovering from being a set down to reach the final.
Fifth seed Jabeur, meanwhile, has also enjoyed a breakout year, which saw her become the first African woman to reach the Wimbledon final in July before her campaign in New York.
Jabeur could make history by becoming the first woman from Africa to win a Grand Slam title on Saturday.
Jabeur — affectionately known as the “Minister of Happiness” in her homeland — was unable to deliver the Wimbledon title, beaten in three sets by Elena Rybakina.
However, the late-blooming 28-year-old looks more than capable of claiming her maiden Grand Slam on Saturday.
But in a surprise move, Jabeur was seen on the practice court just nine tes before she was scheduled to take to the court at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
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