Coco Gauff vs. Aryna Sabalenka: Who’ll win the US Open title?

What can Gauff do to defeat Sabalenka?

Pam Shriver: Gauff can beat Sabalenka by playing strong defense and making Sabalenka hit extra balls. Gauff’s forehand needs to be able to withstand the extreme power of Sabalenka that will target Gauff’s forehand side more than the backhand. Gauff’s serve needs to get a free point per service game or even more. Gauff needs to orchestrate the crowd support to help her at times, and continue to realize she can win a major final even without her A-game.

Cliff Drysdale: Gauff needs to continue to play defensively, using her lightning speed, but will need to be more aggressive than in her previous two matches to avoid having Sabalenka dictate totally.

Alexandra Stevenson: Gauff has to keep the same practice tactics with her forehand. Her speed seems to always be there.

It’s significant to understand what Brad Gilbert has done for Gauff with his old-school coaching. He doesn’t use the new analytics. He uses his eyes. He’s explained to her what ugly tennis really is — and how you can win with it. She will have a new game plan for Sabalenka. Keep her movement and lift that forehand, so that Sabalenka can’t hit into her far, far western grip. If she brings her focus, forehand and movement — she should be in a good position to win. But don’t forget the serve. She’s got to make a high percentage of first serves.

Alyssa Roenigk: Sabalenka essentially answered this question for us in Thursday’s news conference after her semifinal win over Madison Keys. To be effective against the hard-hitting 25-year-old, Gauff needs to continue to serve well, utilize her speed, play loose and approach the match like she has nothing to lose. “She’s hungry. And she knows that the crowd is going to support her,” Sabalenka said of Gauff. “That’s what makes her a really difficult opponent in this final.”

What can Sabalenka do to defeat Gauff?

Shriver: Sabalenka has the extreme power to target Gauff’s forehand and disrupt the recently more confident forehand of Gauff, yet as we saw in the semis versus Karolina Muchova, Gauff can still break down in big moments.

Sabalenka can’t panic when Gauff gets one, two or three extra balls in play. The Belarusian needs to walk out for the final at Ashe Stadium, accepting that the crowd will be 99 percent with Coco Gauff, and show very little emotion. Sabalenka might want to watch the last six games of Bianca Andreescu’s final win over Serena Williams in 2019 and Ajla Tomljanovic’s three-set win last year over Williams in Williams’ final match to see two examples of non-American women winning on Ashe with an American as the heavy crowd favorite.

Sabalenka has a strong team behind her, and can use their energy and support to help block out the disparity of crowd support. She should remember how she won the Australian Open final this year by playing clutch power tennis, and believe that if she did it once in a major final, she can do it again.

Drysdale: Sabalenka needs only to dance with who she brought to this party. Use her power groundstrokes following a power serve.

Stevenson: Sabalenka has a lot to think about. Watch her serve mechanics. It was up and down against Keys. And she’s holding in mental pressure about becoming No. 1. To her, she’s supposed to win. Sabalenka has to cover the court — and use her newfound net game to unbalance Gauff.

Roenigk: She’s not going to beat her by playing the way she did against Keys. If Sabalenka comes out flat and bagels the opening set like she did Thursday night, Gauff will not let her back into the match. Gauff finally has the one thing that’s been missing in big moments: belief she can win. If Sabalenka wants a second major title, she needs to make Gauff question that belief, and do it early. Attack her forehand, shorten points and force her into mistakes.

Connelly: When you’re the (soon-to-be) No. 1 player in the world, typically the answer to “How do you win?” is: “Play your game.” Her 6-4, 6-0 win over Gauff at Indian Wells, the only genuinely resounding win either has had in this series, was a Sabalenka master class: She hit aces on 12% of her serves, landed 73% of her first serves and never double-faulted.

Meanwhile, she won more first-serve return points (43%) than she ever has against Gauff. Granted, Gauff was in a bit of a “can’t win against top-10 players” funk at the time — she lost seven of eight between October and May — and will almost certainly play better. But when Sabalenka is landing the big first serve and hitting big in general, she’s the favorite against virtually anyone, even someone as good at defending as Gauff.

Who will win?

Drysdale: Sabalenka, in three sets.

Stevenson: I’m sticking with Gauff — even though choosing a woman in today’s field requires definite consideration of mental and physical ability on the day of match. Unlike the other women players, Gauff doesn’t put pressure on herself. She has shown she can change things up and get out of trouble.

Roenigk: This is the summer of Gauff. Sabalenka might be the No. 1 player in the world come Monday, but Gauff is on an 11-match win streak, has already earned two titles this summer and has more hard-court wins than any woman in the world this year. Let’s face it: She’s on a collision course with destiny. Gauff wasn’t meant to win her first Grand Slam at Roland Garros. She was always meant to do it in New York. If you believe in that sort of thing.

Connelly: Because I’m boring, I basically always pick the favorite. But there’s barely a favorite! Caesars only gives Sabalenka a slight

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
• SDG 5: Gender Equality
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one-third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being.
• Target 5.5: Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic, and public life.
• Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

No specific indicators are mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

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Source: espn.com

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