World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka cemented her place at the top of women’s tennis by retaining her US Open crown with a 6-3, 7-6(3) victory over Amanda Anisimova on Saturday, MySportDab Reports.
The Belarusian’s triumph at Arthur Ashe Stadium secured her fourth career Grand Slam title and made her the first woman since Serena Williams in 2014 to successfully defend the US Open.
The 27-year-old entered the final under pressure, having fallen short in the Australian Open and French Open earlier this year.
But against Anisimova, who had beaten her in six of their previous nine meetings, Sabalenka showcased her resilience and big-match experience to clinch victory in one hour and 34 minutes.
Sabalenka was ruthless on return, breaking five of six opportunities while keeping her composure in critical moments. After dropping an early break in the first set, she roared back to seize control, punishing Anisimova’s faltering serve.
In the second, Anisimova mounted a brief fightback to level at 3-3, but her inconsistency resurfaced, handing Sabalenka the advantage.
Although the American broke back late to force a tiebreak, Sabalenka’s superior mentality shone through. She raced to a 6-1 lead before sealing the title with her 19th consecutive tiebreak win.
“This one means so much after the tough lessons earlier this season,” Sabalenka said. “To defend my title here is unbelievable.”
For Anisimova, it was a missed chance at a maiden Grand Slam, with the eighth seed admitting she struggled under the stadium’s roof lighting. “I couldn’t see the ball when serving—it was a shock,” she revealed.
Despite the loss, the 23-year-old showed flashes of brilliance, but Sabalenka’s firepower and relentless focus ultimately proved decisive.
