Jabeur talks up mental advantage over Swiatek
Ons Jabeur believes clawing back a match point against Daria Kasatkina puts her in a strong place to push for glory against world No.1 Iga Swiatek in the Italian Open final.
Jabeur won for an 11th straight time as she defeated Kasatkina 6-4 1-6 7-5 in the semi-finals of the Internazionali d'Italia on Sunday (AEST).
Her victory sets up a final against Swiatek, who extended her winning streak to 27 matches by defeating Aryna Sabalenka.
Jabeur, who won in the Spanish capital last week, is aiming to become the third player to win the Madrid and Rome titles in a single year. Dinara Safina in 2009 and Serena Williams in 2013 are the others to have managed that feat.
However, it would all have been different had Kasatkina converted her match point in the deciding set.
"It means a lot to me, especially mentally, that I could come back from a match point and prove that I did that today," Jabeur said.
"Hopefully I can keep being stronger mentally, because I know [the final] is all about mental [strength].
"I knew that physically I could handle anything. Believing that I could play even four weeks in a row, I can do it. I am exhausted, yes, but it's part of my job.
"It's going to help me push more. There is only one match left. I gave it all from the first round, now I should really continue giving my best."
Swiatek found matters rather more comfortable against Sabalenka, who she beat 6-2 6-1. The 20-year-old is in the hunt for a fourth title of 2022.
"At these tournaments where we play day after day, we don't really get time to celebrate," she said.
"Right after we finish the previous match, we have to think about the next one.
"It's pretty tough. But I know that after I'm going to be really proud of myself. For sure I'm going to have time to think about what I did.
"I'm just constantly surprising myself that I can do better and better. I feel like I actually can believe now that the sky's the limit. That's the fun part, for sure."
In the past 25 years, only Serena Williams in 2013, Kim Clijsters in 2003 and Martina Hingis in 1998 have reached the final in Rome with fewer games dropped than Swiatek this season (17).
