NEW YORK (AFP/Reuters) – Tunisian Onz Jabbar became the first African woman to beat Caroline Garcia in straight sets at the US Open on Thursday (September 9).
In a one-sided semi-final at Arthur Ashe Stadium, fifth seed Jabbar dominated Garcia from start to finish, winning 6-1, 6-3 in just 1 hour and 6 minutes.
Garcia didn’t drop a set before reaching the last four, but she soon ran into trouble when Jabbar broke her in the first game.
Garcia, who reached her first Grand Slam semi-final on a 13-game winning streak, didn’t lose momentum when she was denied her Arsenal’s most reliable tool, her big serve.
Known as Tunisia’s ‘Minister of Happiness’ after becoming the first Arab woman to reach a Grand Slam final at Wimbledon this year, Jabeur threw an unrelenting serve over the net to seal the win. shouted for joy.
“I feel great. There was a lot of pressure on me after Wimbledon, but I’m really relieved to be able to back up the results,” she said. I cut it, but now I’m very happy to have made it to the final here.”
Jabeur will face world No. 1 Iga Swiatek or Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka in Saturday’s final.
