Two 2022 US Open women's singles semifinalists squared off one round later in Fort Worth, Texas, as Caroline Garcia and Aryna Sabalenka played for the WTA Finals title on Monday night. After two tight sets, the Frenchwoman emerged with the biggest title of her long career behind a 7-6(4), 6-4 win.
Garcia, who won the Cincinnati WTA 1000 title as a qualifier before her US Open run, matched her career-high of world No. 4 by claiming the fourth title of a resurgent season. She did not face a break point in the final and converted on her only break chance of the match at the start of the second set.
“It’s definitely a lot of giant happiness,” the sixth seed said in her post-match presser. “A crazy final, a lot of intensity on every point. Just really proud of the work we did through all the year. It was a great match — really went for it. I’m really happy to win my biggest title."
Garcia did not drop a set in the knockout rounds, earning a 6-3, 6-2 win against Maria Sakkari to reach the final. In the group stage, she beat Coco Gauff but lost to US Open champ Iga Swiatek to set up a win-or-go-home round-robin finale against Daria Kasatkina. Despite dropping the opening set, she survived and advanced with a 4-6, 6-1, 7-6(5) victory follwing a dramatic, 80-minute final set.
The 29-year-old was a perfect 4-0 in finals this season, winning trophies in WTA 250 titles in Bad Homburg and Warsaw in addition to her crowns Cincinnati and Fort Worth. She lost just one set across all four title matches. Garcia also won her second Roland Garros doubles title this season, teaming with fellow Frenchwoman Kristina Mladenovic for the pair's second major crown on home soil.
Sabalenka finished the season as world No. 5 despite failing to win a WTA title for the first time since 2019. She reached three finals on the year and enjoyed her best Grand Slam showing in New York, where she came one set short of the title match. Sabalenka's 15 career wins at the US Open are her most at any major; she has reached the final four each of the past two years in Flushing Meadwos.
