She is again the Queen in the New York district of Queens. Aryna Sabalenka defended her last year’s title at the US Open. In the final, the Belarussin Amanda Anisimova from the USA defeated 6: 3, 7: 6 (7: 3)-and therefore crowned a strong tennis year with a Grand Slam title.
She briefly closed her eyes and breathed deeply. Aryna Sabalenka knew that she could be at the goal. Full concentration again, another good action. The 27-year-old won the first set against the American Amanda Anisimova 6: 3 on Saturday (local time) in the final of the US Open and led 6: 1 in the Tie Break of the second round. So she was only missing a point for successful title defense. And she had five match balls to get this one counter.
The first two awarded the Belarusin, her returns ended up in the end. But then Sabalenka served-and after 1:34 hour put the end of this match, this tournament and her hunting for a Grand Slam title. Her serve was not particularly placed, but he was tough. So hard that Anisimova could not control her backhand return as precisely as she wanted and the ball came up a few millimeters next to the sidelines. Game, sentence, victory: Sabalenka.
“It’s incredible, I’m speechless”
The world rankings sagged together, went to his knees, held both hands in front of his face, had tears in his eyes. “It’s incredible, I’m speechless”she said in her first reaction on the pitch. For the 100th time, Sabalenka had won a match at a Grand Slam – and thus won the title for the fourth time at one of the four biggest tournaments of the year.
And what was that Aryna Sjarhejeuna Sabalenka for a year? Finale lost to the Australia Open. Finale lost to the French Open. In the semi -finals of Wimbledon in three sets, Anisimova failed. And now finally the crowning glory in New York. “She was the most constant player of the year”said the six-time US Open winner and current ESPN commentator Chris Evert.
First Defending champion Since 2014
Sabalenka was the first player to defend her title in Flushing Meadows since Serena Williams in 2014. “I wanted to laugh, scream, cry – everything at once”she described her emotional state with a little distance. For the third time in a row, Sabalenka faced an American in the final of the US Open. After the defeat in 2023 against Coco Gauff and the Triumph twelve months ago via Jessica Pegula, Amanda Anisimova was a local hero who always and constantly “My Home Slam” designated.
Because the 24-year-old comes from the greater New York area, was just under 100 kilometers south of the Arthur Ashe Stadium, in Freehold Township, was born and grew up in the state of New Jersey. Anisimova had written tennis history in the Wimbledon final when she lost 0: 6, 0: 6 against Polish Iga Swiatek in just 57 minutes. Such a clear final defeat had not existed in the women in the final of the All England Championships since 1911.
Anisimova loses second Grand Slam final successively
Well, 56 days after this embarrassment, Anisimova had her next chance to win a Grand Slam tournament for the first time. And on the way to this finale, she had not only reorganized herself in the quarter-finals at Swiatek for the Wimbledon-Watschn (6: 4, 6: 3), but also in the semi-finals against Naomi Osaka in three sets.
The final was not a high -class match, but rather a duel between two unsettled players. Both are power shooters, have tough upholstery and back. But this final showed that both are also very shaky. Rarely did a successful, sometimes even an outstanding action or break. Simple mistakes followed grandiose basic lines. Everything is very easy to measure on the noise level of the almost 24,000 fans. Loud, euphoric “Yes !!!” or “WOW” changed with horrified “Noooo!” or “Ahhhh!” away.
Tie Break Monster Sabalenka
In the crucial phase of the second sentence it became clear that Sabalenka, also because of her previous Grand Slam final experiences, mentally had an advantage. Although she did not seem sovereign, she did not show her frustration. “I completely lost control of my emotions in the two lost Grand Slam final of this year, which should never happen to me again”said Sabalenka.
Another advantage for you: your impressive, almost scary tie break record. That was 18: 0 since February. Sabalenka of course knew this balance. But of course it was also clear to her that at some point she would lose a tie break again. But not in this final. She quickly led 3: 1, after a double error from Anisimova 4: 1, then 5: 1 and 6: 1.
How does Sabalenka celebrate? “Oh, we’ll drink”
Anisimova became more uncertain and upset – and she didn’t try to hide her displeasure. It was visible to everyone in the stadium how her self -confidence became less and less, as she started to doubt itself. Despite the renewed final defeat “A great summer” was, she said, but added: “I think I didn’t fight hard enough for my dream today.”
She learned not only from the applauding audience, but also from Sabalenka. “I know how much it hurts to lose in the final. But, believe me, you will still get your title, you will play incredible tennis. And you will enjoy the victory after these difficult final defeats all the more”emphasized the renewed US Open Queen. How will she celebrate? “Oh, we’ll drink”Sabalenka announced with a grin. “I worked so hard, now it is enjoyed.”