Aryna Sabalenka has successfully defended her US Open title, defeating American eighth seed Amanda Anisimova 6-3, 7-6(3) in a hard-hitting final. The victory not only marks Sabalenka's fourth Grand Slam singles title but also cements her status as the modern queen of hardcourt tennis. With this win, she becomes the first woman since Serena Williams (2012-2014) to win consecutive titles at Flushing Meadows, a testament to her dominance.
The final was a battle between two of the season's biggest hitters, but it was Sabalenka's composure that made the difference. The Belarusian kept her unforced errors to just 15, while Anisimova struggled with 29. After a nervous start, Sabalenka found her rhythm, breaking Anisimova's serve to take control of the first set. She closed it out with a powerful unreturnable serve, setting the tone for the rest of the match.
Despite the setback, Anisimova, playing in front of a partisan home crowd, refused to give up. The American, who had just avenged her brutal Wimbledon final loss to Iga Swiatek in the quarterfinals, fought back to level the second set. She even forced a tie-break, whipping the fans into a frenzy. However, Sabalenka, known for her dominance in tie-breakers, showed her mental fortitude. She sprinted to an early lead and sealed the victory on her third championship point, falling to her knees in a mix of relief and pure jubilation.
For Anisimova, the loss marked her second straight major final defeat, a result she described as "super hard." While acknowledging her opponent's power, she admitted, "I didn’t fight hard enough for my dreams today." The experience, though heartbreaking, adds to her journey of resilience, and she has proven she can compete with the best in the world.
Sabalenka's victory felt particularly significant after a season in which she lost two major finals, to Madison Keys at the Australian Open and Coco Gauff at the French Open. After the match, she spoke of the lessons learned from those defeats, saying, "I know how hard these finals hurt. But you will enjoy it more after these tough losses." The win underscored her phenomenal record in tie-breakers this season, which stands at 21-1, and solidifies her position at the very top of the game.
