Aryna Sabalenka continued her summer storm by handing Julia Goerges a come-from-behind 6-4, 7-6 win in New Haven on Friday afternoon, sending the 20-year-old Belarussian to her third final of the year.
Sabalenka, who stunned her way to the semifinals in Cincinnati a week ago, trailed by a break on two separate occasions in the second set — including at 6-5 — faced set point and lost the first three points of the tiebreak, but ran off seven straight to secure the win.
The world No. 25 reaches the joint-largest championship match of her career, where she will play either Carla Suárez Navarro or Monica Puig on Saturday. She is set to rise at least three more spots in the rankings ahead of next week’s start of the US Open.
“It’s a good question why [I’m playing so well],” Sabalenka told ESPN. “I’m just coming to the court and showing what we’re practicing. I’m so happy to win in the second set.”
Sabalenka smashed a powerful backhand off the baseline on her first match point and close her stunning tiebreak run. She won the last three points on Goerges’ serve, a remarkable feat against the WTA’s ace leader.
The match seemed destined for a third set when Sabalenka smashed a running volley long on break point at 5-5 in the second set, then failed to convert three break points in the next game. But on her fourth attempt, she forced Goerges to hit a backhand into the doubles alley, earning the tiebreak.
The first set was also decided by slim margins. Though Sabalenka had the better of the return play, Goerges found enough power herself to hold off the Belarussian. The world No. 9 staved off four break points at 3-4, but had no such luck in her next service game.
Sabalenka momentarily lost that level, dropping her opening service game in the second set when Goerges lofted a well-placed volley over her. But Sabalenka suddenly ended a dominant serving run from the German — she lost one point in three service games — by breaking at 4-3, setting up the topsy-turvy final stretch.
