The Grand Slam season has come full circle.
More than seven months after Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina met in the final of the year's first major on hard courts, they will meet again in the final of the year's last major, again on hard courts. The major difference is that Rybakina, who was ranked fifth in the PIF WTA Rankings then, will become the new No. 1 next week, ending Sabalenka's 99-week streak at the top. Will the result of their Australian Open final rematch, a come-from-behind win for Rybakina in Melbourne, flip as well?
We will find out on Saturday when Rybakina and Sabalenka, the top two seeds in New York, meet in the US Open final at 4 p.m. ET. Sabalenka, looking for a three-peat in New York, booked her spot in her fourth consecutive US Open final with a dominant 7-5, 6-2 win over Jessica Pegula on Thursday night. In the second semifinal, Rybakina came from a set down to beat home favorite Coco Gauff 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, reaching her first career US Open final.
Ahead of the final, we make the case for both players.
After a season-long race
Source: www.wtatennis.com — Read the original article
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