Sabalenka gets her US Open 'revenge' against Coco Gauff

World No. 2 blasts past the reigning US Open champion battling a few edgy moments in a 7-6(2), 6-4 victory, to meet Zheng in the final

- Rutvick Mehta

MUMBAI: Revenge is a tricky term in professional tennis. It's floated around quite a bit to add layers of background to battles between players, yet seldom by the protagonists themselves. Most refrain from using it and consider it too strong a word.

Aryna Sabalenka is different. Aggressive and unabashed much like her game, the Belarusian said she "really wanted that revenge" over Coco Gauff, the teen that stopped her from winning her second Grand Slam title in the 2023 US Open final.

Revenge sought, revenge delivered. By the defending champion in a territory not many have been able to hold on to of late (unless, of course, you're Novak Djokovic).

Sabalenka blasted past the reigning US Open champion battling a few edgy moments in a 7-6(2), 6-4 semi-final victory inside a roof-enclosed Rod Laver Arena on Thursday. Gauff rated her quarter-final outing as C and although Sabalenka did not quite bring out her own A game in the semis, she did enough to emerge better from an inconsistent contest that put Sabalenka in her second straight final at Melbourne Park, the stage of her first Grand Slam title.