- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
It’s an all-American battle in the women’s final of the US Open, with the powerful Madison Keys taking on one of the best defensive players on the WTA circuit, Sloane Stephens. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 6am (AEST).
Both players have shown brilliant form throughout the US summer, and it’s paid off in a big way, with the US Open certain to have a new grand slam winner from the home country.
This fortnight has been the best in American tennis for almost a decade, with four home players making the semi-final. In the semi-finals on Thursday evening, Venus Williams and Coco Vandeweghe had their campaigns come to an end, but the way it happened was extremely different.
For Williams, it was a hard fought three set affair, to say the least. Stephens put in an incredible effort to unseat the veteran. Some of her defensive play and stroke making from the baseline was stunning to watch, while the court movement on display was sensational.
The 7-5 final set was possibly the best Stephens has ever played. Williams was right up to the challenge, but Stephens was equal to everything thrown at her and then some.
That followed a second set where she fell off the charts though, losing 6-0. But then again, it was a strange opening to the match with Stephens winning 6-1.
Given her semi-final runs in both Cincinnati and Montreal before the US Open, it has to be said the second set was a one-off.
Pressure does funny things to players at the back end of grand slams though, although none of those signs were evident for Keys as she blasted Vandeweghe off the court. The 6-1, 6-2 victory, coming in just over an hour (under an hour on the court thanks to a medical timeout) couldn’t have been more dominant.
The medical timeout was the only worry to come out of the game, and indeed the tournament so far for Keys. Although she said post match it was nothing serious, and she wanted to just get it worked on before the right leg became a real problem, if there’s one thing the final will be, it’s physical.
Keys might have a big serve, monstrous forehand and consistency over the last month to ensure she is hard to beat, but Stephens has one of the best defensive skill sets on tour. Getting it past her is going to take some serious work, and that probably means a longer, grinding match.
Against Vandeweghe, Keys had a landslide of winners, and she is going to need to do that again against Stephens, but attacking the sidelines a whole lot more.
Prediction
Keys has the power edge and her consistency has been unbelievable over the last few months. She should win her first grand slam title.
Keys in three sets.
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of the women’s final from 6am (AEST) and don’t forget to add a comment below.