Coco Gauff vs Aryna Sabalenka

My look at a blockbuster US Open women's final

Billie Jean King’s mantra might have become a catchphrase, but pressure does not always feel like a privilege.

Thursday night was full of reminders at the US Open. The shot-making wizard Karolina Muchova looked like she was trapped in the floodlights for the first half hour of her first US Open semifinal: her elegant groundstrokes and fast footwork constricted by the weight of the moment.

She got better, significantly better, but never quite found her flow as Coco Gauff went on to win 6-4, 7-5.

Then there was Gauff’s American compatriot Madison Keys playing what looked like the finest tennis of her life in one of the biggest matches of her life against the best player of 2023: Aryna Sabalenka.