Aryna Sabalenka powered through a mix of big serves and clutch play to defend her U.S. Open crown, defeating Amanda Anisimova 6-3, 7-6(3) in a thrilling final at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The world No. 1 clinched her fourth Grand Slam title—each on hard courts—and became the first woman since Serena Williams (2012–14) to win back-to-back titles in New York. After an early break advantage in both sets, Sabalenka held off a late surge from the 24-year-old American.
Serving for the championship at 5-4 in the second set, Sabalenka had a rare misstep at 30-all, netting an overhead that let Anisimova break back and level the score. The crowd roared as the underdog drew level at 5-all.
Yet Sabalenka’s mental toughness shone through in the tiebreaker. Kneeling on court after sealing the match on her third match point, she improved her season tiebreak record to an astonishing 21-1, having won 19 straight.
"All those tough lessons (were) worth this one," Sabalenka said afterward. Reflecting on runner-up finishes at the Australian Open and French Open, and a Wimbledon loss to Anisimova, the 27-year-old Belarusian proved that persistence pays off on the biggest stages.
With this victory, Sabalenka also avoided becoming the first woman since Justine Henin in 2006 to lose three major finals in a single season. Instead, she solidified her status as the hard-court queen heading into next season.
Reference(s):
Sabalenka defeats Anisimova to defend U.S. Open title, 4th at a major
cgtn.com
