Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka have begun the match that will determine the U.S. Open women’s singles champion.
Gauff enters Saturday’s championship match at Arthur Ashe Stadium seeking her first Grand Slam title. Sabalenka is trying to win her second major trophy of the year.
They are playing with the roof closed because of lightning in the area.
Gauff is a 19-year-old from Florida who is seeded No. 6 at Flushing Meadows. She has won 11 matches in a row and 17 of the past 18.
Her semifinal victory on Thursday night was interrupted for 50 minutes early in the second set by four climate protesters, one of whom glued his bare feet to the concrete floor in the stands. The disruption to the match prompted the U.S. Tennis Association to increase security.
Sabalenka is a 25-year-old from Belarus who is seeded No. 2 in the last major tournament of the season. She will rise to No. 1 in the WTA rankings for the first time on Monday no matter what happens against Gauff.
Sabalenka is 23-2 in Grand Slam action in 2023, including her triumph at the Australian Open in January.
