US Open: good friends in real life, but who has the edge, Sloane Stephens or Madison Keys?

For this historic U.S. Open women’s final, two close friends will be playing each other. Sloane Stephens  and Madison Keys have had similar comebacks and have been building up to this moment all year long.

The home court on Arthur Ashe will certainly be excited. They’ll have plenty to root for, with younger generation players Sloane Stephens and Madison Keys — the answer to where will American tennis stars come from after Serena and Venus — taking center stage.

Both players have been on the talked about circuit for a few years now, wondering when the young domestic talents would fulfill their potential. Plagued by injuries since last year, Stephens and Keys have returned with a vengeance to make it to the finals at the biggest tennis stage in their home country. But who has the edge between the two?

The Americans have only played against each other once, a straight sets win for Stephens at the Miami Open in 2015. The two compatriots have played tennis together plenty, though, having supported each other as Fed Cup teammates in 2014. But on Arthur Ashe, these two good friends will have to battle it out for the biggest moment in their careers, a chance at their first Grand Slam title and their name in the history books.

“She’s probably one of my closest friend on tour,” Stephens said about Keys, after her semifinal win over a player she grew up admiring, Venus Williams, 6-1, 0-6, 7-5. “Love her to death,” she went on about Keys. “It’s obviously going to be tough. It’s not easy playing a friend.”

Here’s some further evidence of their friendship:

Madison Keys, the younger of the two, aged 22, has already appeared in more finals, six total, but won only half of them. Last year was a breakthrough year for the world No. 16, with a title at Birmingham and two finals at huge events, Montreal and Rome. She’s already won a title this year at Charleston, and her first came in 2014 at Eastborne.

Stephens, aged 24, has won every final she’s been in, including three last year at Auckland, Acapulco, and Charleston. Like Keys, she also had a breakthrough year before going out with her own injury on her foot. She also won the Citi Open in Washington, D.C. in 2015. Of the two, you could say she’s the better closer and it looks like she’s on a roll, although Keys’ titles have been at bigger events.

Of the U.S. Open semifinal matches, Madison Keys displayed a more dominant form, taking out CoCo Vandeweghe in two easy sets, 6-1, 6-2, in a very efficient 66 minutes.

Stephens and Keys are power-hitters who contrast in their approach, with Stephens more of a defender and Keys an attacker. Bother are whippet fast and I predict will make the grand slam final a tight match.

Regardless of who wins, it’s clear that American women’s tennis Generation 2.0 has arrived.

As Stephens said after her quarterfinal with Venus, another all-American match:

“I just don’t want anyone to ever ask me about the state of American tennis ever again,” Stephens said during her on-court interview. “The proof is in the pudding. So we don’t ever need to discuss the state of American tennis. We’re doing great,” she said, flashing her megawatt smile.

Indeed. Hold onto your hats. The women’s all-American final between friends, now foes, is going to be a fun ride on home turf.