Following a season marked by narrow defeats and disappointment at crucial moments, Aryna Sabalenka arrived at the US Open final with one last opportunity to claim the major title she believed she deserved.
Such a high-pressure situation could have fueled more tension, but Sabalenka’s remarkable career has been built on turning setbacks into lessons, no matter how difficult. This time, the top-ranked player remained unshaken, maintaining her focus during a late resurgence from Amanda Anisimova before securing her US Open victory with a 6-3, 7-6 (3) win.
As the world’s best player at the height of her abilities, Sabalenka continues to cement her place among the greatest of this generation. She now holds four major titles, tying her with Kim Clijsters, Arantxa Sánchez Vicario, Naomi Osaka, and Hana Mandlikova. Sabalenka has forged an era of supremacy on hard courts, winning two Australian Open and two US Open trophies. She has also reached six consecutive hard-court major finals.
From the outset, it was evident that this match between two of the sport’s most aggressive players would be a battle of firepower. Only the boldest, sharpest attacking play would prevail. After failing to convert an early break point and falling behind 2-0, Anisimova found her rhythm, sealing a fierce exchange with a precision forehand to pull back the deficit.
Once settling her nerves, Anisimova took control of the next two games, targeting Sabalenka’s second serve and striking winners with ease. However, inconsistency crept in as her errors mounted. Sabalenka capitalized on Anisimova’s shaky serving, dominating her second deliveries to claim four straight games and the first set.
While Anisimova’s high-risk shots often missed their mark, Sabalenka outpaced her with superior movement, resilience, and tactical intelligence. Though Anisimova briefly found inspiration—rallying from a second-set deficit to level at 3-3—Sabalenka swiftly reasserted dominance.
At the final moment, Anisimova summoned a last burst of brilliance. With Sabalenka two points from victory at 5-4, the Belarusian faltered at 30-30, misfiring an easy smash into the net. Seizing the chance, Anisimova fired a down-the-line forehand winner to break back.
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