Aryna Sabalenka Wins Fourth Grand Slam Title, Defeats Amanda Anisimova in US Open Final

Aryna Sabalenka is the first woman to retain the US Open title since Serena Williams in 2014

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka captured her fourth Grand Slam title on Saturday night, defeating Amanda Anisimova 6-3, 7-6 (3) in the US Open final. The victory marked a turning point for Sabalenka, who has battled emotional struggles and costly mistakes in past high-stakes matches but showed composure when it mattered most.

The Belarusian star admitted after the match that her mindset in past finals had often been her downfall. “I thought if I made it to the final, it means I’m going to win it and didn’t expect players to come out and fight,” she said. “That was completely the wrong mindset.”

Aryna Sabalenka holds up the championship trophy after defeating American Amanda Anisimova in the US Open women's final Saturday in New York.

A pivotal moment came late in the second set when Sabalenka missed a routine overhead, dropping her racket in frustration. In previous years, such an error might have unraveled her game. Instead, she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and reset. “I was really close to losing it,” she admitted. “But I’m really proud of myself.”

Just 15 minutes later, Sabalenka sealed the match in a tiebreak, capitalizing on Anisimova’s errors and holding her nerve to secure the title. After the final point, she fell to her knees on the baseline, overcome with emotion before rising with a triumphant smile.

Aryna Sabalenka shared kind words for Anisimova after beating her in U.S. Open final

The win represented redemption after several painful near-misses this season. She lost the Australian Open final to Madison Keys in three sets, let a lead slip against Coco Gauff at the French Open, and fell to Anisimova in the Wimbledon semifinals. Her past record at the US Open also included a 2021 semifinal collapse against Leylah Fernandez and a 2023 final defeat to Gauff.

But Sabalenka said she learned from those disappointments. “Going into this final, I decided I’m going to control my emotions. I’m not going to let them take control over me,” she explained, recalling how she took time during the summer in Mykonos to reflect on her failures and focus on mental resilience.

Despite Anisimova briefly breaking serve late in the second set, Sabalenka regained control and dominated the tiebreaker. The win not only allowed her to defend her US Open crown but also underscored her evolution as one of the most consistent players of the post-Serena Williams era. She has now reached 11 semifinals in her last 12 Grand Slam appearances.

“This one was different,” Sabalenka said. “I had to overcome a lot of things to get this one. I knew with the hard work I put in, I deserved a Grand Slam title this season. To defend my title and handle my emotions the way I did means everything.”

With her fourth major victory, Aryna Sabalenka’s reputation as a dominant force in women’s tennis is firmly cemented, and her ability to conquer her emotions has rewritten her narrative on the sport’s biggest stage.