Iga Swiatek got her hands on a maiden US Open title with a straight-sets win over Tunisia's Ons Jabeur in Saturday's women's singles final at the Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The 21-year-old was forced to stave off an inspired comeback from the history-making fifth seed but was full value for her 6-2 7-5[5] success, which added to her pair of French Open wins from this year and 2020.
The world number one raced exploded out of the blocks at Flushing Meadows and raced into a 3-0 lead, although Jabeur still managed to find a break back of her own to make things interesting at 3-2.
Nevertheless, Swiatek managed to string together another three-game winning streak to take the first set in just over half an hour, and the Pole would seemingly wrap up the contest quickly after going a set and a break up.
A hard-hitting Jabeur refused to wave the white flag, though, and she managed to get the better of the previously-faultless Swiatek at the net to claw her way back into the second set - reducing the deficit from 3-0 down to 3-4.
A crucial seventh game of the second set saw the Tunisian's ability to break back come to the fore as her counterpart's shot hit the tape and landed back on her side, and Jabeur held to level the contest at 4-4 after Swiatek's forehand could only find the net.
A wide forehand from Swiatek handed Jabeur another opportunity to continue her revival with two break points, but the Tunisian squandered both of them and eventually ceded the game to the first seed with a long forehand.
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Swiatek needed just one more game to clinch the Grand Slam title, but Jabeur held her nerve at 30-30 to stay in the match on serve before Swiatek brought up championship point at 6-5.
A brief racquet change for Swiatek did not pay dividends as she went long to waste her first championship point, and Jabeur would force a pivotal tie-break at the end of the second set.
Jabeur would hold her own for the majority of the tie-break, but Swiatek brought up a second championship point, and the Tunisian hit long before the world number one collapsed to the floor in jubilation.
"I wasn't expecting a lot. Before this tournament it was such a challenging time. Coming back after winning a Grand Slam is always tricky," Swiatek said during the trophy presentation.
"For sure this tournament was really challenging because it's New York, it's so loud, it's so crazy, there were so many temptations in the city, so many people I have met who are so inspiring.
"Ons, such an amazing tournament and season. I know we're going to meet many more times and I know you're going to win many of them, so don't worry."
Spain's Carlos Alcaraz and Norway's Casper Ruud will close the singles competition at Flushing Meadows with the men's final on Sunday evening.
Ben Knapton
