"It's a bit too late": Aryna Sabalenka mocks the crowd after her US Open semifinal win
After a defeat in the 2023 US Open final against Coco Gauff, it was another American challenging Aryna Sabalenka in the semi-final of the ongoing Grand Slam. However, the Belarusian denied the home crowd the chance to get the better of her as she beat the home favourite Emma Navarro. The World No. 2 staged a strong start in the match as she defeated Navarro 6-3 in the first set. However, Navarro made things tricky for Sabalenka in the next set as the crowd intensified their support for the American player. Despite this, Sabalenka, having learned from her past slip-up, didn’t let the crowd’s cheers overpower her grit.
"Last year, it was a very tough experience. Very tough lesson. Today in the match, I was, like, 'No, no, no, Aryna. It's not going to happen again. You have to control your emotions. You have to focus on yourself,’” Sabalenka said after securing her place in the US Open final. "There were people supporting me; I was trying to focus on them. I'm thinking, 'Come on. There are so many people supporting you. There is your team in the box. There is your family. Just focus on yourself and try to — not try, just fight for it,” she added.
The two-time Australian Open champion, Sabalenka suffered a setback in the last season of the US Open. Home favourite Coco Gauff shattered Sabalenka’s dream of clinching her maiden US Open title, beating her 2-6, 6-3, 6-2. This time around, Sabalenka came prepared to face the crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium along with her opponent, the 13th seeded Emma Navarro.
Arynka Sabalenka addresses the New York crowd after beating the home favorite in US Open semifinal
Aryna Sabalenka did a tremendous job keeping the crowd in check as she triumphed in the first set. However, Navarro fought back in the second set, taking it to a tiebreak from being 3-5 down. Sabalenka extended her lead to 3-2 in the second set with a break, while Navarro faced additional break points to prevent falling behind 2-5. Navarro then pushed the match to a point where the rivals were tied 5-5. Sabalenka then clawed her way back as she scored 34 shots to reign over the 13 scored by the 23-year-old Navarro.
Sabalenka, who had earlier joked about bringing the crowd in her favor by offering them booze, talked about the atmosphere in the stadium for the semifinals. The Australian Open champion teased the audience for keeping their cheers intact for Navarro. With the semi-final win against Navarro, Sabalenka became the first player since Serena Williams to enter the US Open finals for two consecutive seasons.
"Guys, now you're cheering for me. Wow. It's a bit too late," Sabalenka said, describing her feelings of entering the final. "It really means a lot and even though you guys were supporting her, I still had goosebumps from you cheering. It was an incredible atmosphere,” she concluded.
Jessica Pegula defeated Karolina Muchova in the second semi-final to secure her place in the US Open final. Sabalenka will now face Pegula, who will be making her debut in a Grand Slam final. Currently ranked No. 2 in the world, Sabalenka is considered the favorite to win the title this season. However, Pegula is entering the final with a record of 15 wins in her last 16 matches.
