US Open: Sabalenka wins second straight title, defeats Anisimova

Amanda Anisimova, the eighth seed in the women’s final on Saturday, defeated American eighth seed Aryna Sabalenka, 6-3, 7-6 (3), retaining her US Open title, further establishing her status as the contemporary queen of hardcourt.

Since 2022, the Belarusian hasn’t missed a hardcourt major final. With her most recent success, she becomes the first woman to win consecutive US Opens, joining Serena Williams, who won three straight titles from 2012 to 2014.

Due to Sabalenka’s constant complacency, the match between her and her closest-hitting, biggest-serving women boiled down to unforced errors.

Sabalenka, who fell to her knees after winning the match with an unreturnable serve, jumped up and down with her coaches in the stands in a moment of pure joy, thanked everyone who came here and flew in.

“I want you in my box, and I’m going to get to many more finals,” the statement read.

Anisimova, who was only playing in her second major final, struggled to hold onto the momentum despite having partisan supporters at the famed Arthur Ashe Stadium.

“It’s been a fantastic summer,” he said. It’s great to lose to two other women in a row, but it’s also very difficult, said 24-year-old Anisimova, who was left in tears once more after receiving a 6-0, 6-0 loss in the Wimbledon final two months ago.

“It’s not enough for my dreams to come true today.”

Sabalenka starts things off right.

In the first game, Sabalenka, 27, saved three break points, but Anisimova gave up the opening break when she shot past the baseline in the second half.

In the third game, Anisimova took her first step by winning a 12-shot rally with a forehand winner beyond Sabalenka’s reach. In the fifth minute, the American took a break from her rival, who had hit one beyond the baseline.

The frustrated Belarusian sprinted along the baseline in frustration and seized on her opportunity to break with Anisimova, breaking her in the sixth game and turning in the eighth with a second break point from the baseline.

Sabalenka finished the first set with an unreturnable serve and whizzed past her opponent to convert on a break point in the third game of the second set.

Anisimova fought back, leveling the score with a backhand winner of her own in the sixth, sending the crowd into a frenzied rage. However, the American party abruptly ended when their home hope scored the winning goal at break point.

In the tenth game, Anisimova watched Sabalenka flubbed a smash to help her regain control. In the tiebreak, Sabalenka sprinted to victory in spite of her own strength.