NEW YORK : Elena Rybakina said she would not put extra pressure on herself before Saturday’s U.S. Open final against Aryna Sabalenka, viewing the contest as another opportunity to test herself against a rival who pushes her to the limit.
Rybakina rallied to beat Coco Gauff 3-6 6-4 6-4 in a thrilling semi-final on Thursday to set up a title clash with defending champion Sabalenka and move closer to a third Grand Slam crown.
The pair have met in two previous Grand Slam finals, with Sabalenka beating Rybakina in the 2023 Australian Open final before the Kazakh won their rematch at Melbourne Park in January.
“It’s an important match, and since it’s a final, I feel like it doesn’t matter who’s on the other side,” said Rybakina, who will become world number one on Monday, replacing Sabalenka.
“I don’t want to put too much pressure on myself, because we’re very close in the rankings. Even if something goes wrong in the final, I’ll still have other opportunities and other tournaments until the end of the year.
“We push each other when we play these matches, and you can clearly see what you need to work more on. I think that’s great, that you play against someone who pushes you to the limit.”
Rybakina credited her team with helping her maintain her strong form this season following her Australian Open triumph.
“It definitely helps. There’s been a lot going on in the previous year outside of the court,” the 27-year-old said.
“I think now all of my focus is on tennis. I can’t always perform at my best, there’s always ups and downs, but I think we’ve been doing a very good job, making the right decisions in certain situations, because every day is a challenge.
“I’m not getting younger, and physically always some things come up. So just all things put together, and also the experience of the past years on tour, have led to these kinds of results.”
