Despite repeatedly drawing crowd favorites—she may yet face another American, Jessica Pegula, in the final—the two-time Australian Open champion has an unshakeable affection for the final major of the season, one she hopes will end with a first victory in Flushing Meadows.
“I really enjoy being in New York,” she said. “I enjoy these courts, I enjoy the crowd, I enjoy playing in this beautiful stadium in front of the crowd. I enjoy the city, the time on the court.
“Every time I’m coming back here, I have this positive thinking, like, ‘Come, on, maybe this time.’ Every time I’m hoping that one day I’ll be able to hold that beautiful trophy.
“Tough losses never make me feel depressed, like, not thinking like of not coming back on the tournament. It’s only motivates me to come back and to try one more time, try harder and maybe, like, work harder on some things which maybe didn’t work in the past.
“I’m still hoping to hold that beautiful trophy,” she concluded, smiling.
