Roddick Urges Respect for Sabalenka-Rybakina US Open Final as 2 Americans Fall in Semis

Q: Will the New York crowd embrace a historic clash of titans, or let nationalism overshadow a monumental US Open final?

The crowd should embrace it, and there are strong sporting reasons to believe many in New York will. This is not a fallback final. It is a meeting between the top two players in women’s tennis, with a major title, the race for year-end No. 1, and history all in play. Sabalenka is chasing a fifth Grand Slam and a third straight US Open title, something no woman has done in New York since Serena Williams. Rybakina is in her first US Open final but is already the incoming world No. 1 and is seeking her third major, including a second this season. The matchup itself is elite. Sabalenka leads the rivalry 10-7 overall, but Rybakina has been more successful in finals and beat her in this year’s Australian Open final. Their contests are regularly close, power-heavy and decided by fine margins, which is why Roddick called it a final worthy of respect regardless of nationality. There is still a real chance of a partisan atmosphere because both women ended American hopes by beating Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff, and Arthur Ashe can lean heavily toward home players. Reporting from this US Open also suggests the stadium atmosphere can be uneven and less intense than its size suggests, which may limit both hostility and sustained support. But if the crowd responds to quality, this final has everything: two proven champions, a genuine rivalry, ranking stakes and a possible place in history. That is the kind of stage New York usually recognizes once the tennis starts.

3 articles · Updated · Yahoo Sports · Sep 12

Andy Roddick urged Arthur Ashe fans to embrace Saturday’s US Open final, saying Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina deserve full respect despite Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula exiting in the semifinals.
Sabalenka reached the title match with a dominant win over Pegula, while Rybakina rallied past Gauff 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 to make her first New York final and arrive as the newly crowned world No. 1.
Roddick framed the matchup as elite-level tennis with major stakes: Sabalenka is chasing a fifth major and a third straight US Open title, while Rybakina seeks her third Slam and second of 2026.
He picked Sabalenka if her first-strike game and second-serve returns click, though their rivalry is tight at 10-7 overall and Rybakina leads 4-2 in finals, including this year’s Australian Open.