Revenge & redemption – Sabalenka v Anisimova in final

US Open 2025

Dates: August 24 through September 7 in Flushing Meadows, New York

Both Aryna Sabalenka and Amanda Anisimova leant back and exhaled powerful roars of relief after winning the US Open championship.

This year, both have experienced hardship. Both have been within a short of glory, but they both suffer agonizingly poor.

The current and former world number one Sabalenka won’t play in the Australian and French Open finals this year.

In her first major final, Anisimova froze after suffering a brutal 6-0 6-0 defeat at Wimbledon just 56 days prior.

In order to win a fourth major singles title, Sabalenka must overcome the ghosts of this year’s Grand Slams, just like she must with Anisimova.

Both Sabalenka and Anisimova are powerful players with fearsome ball-striking prowess on the court. However, the two have a tendency to display their emotions and, in some cases, allow them to take control.

This year already, the two have squared off. Before American Anisimova stunned the Wimbledon semi-finalists, Belarusian Sabalenka won the final-16 at Roland Garros.

Sabalenka wears her heart on her sleeve as a compelling character both on and off the court.

While entertaining to tennis fans, it has cost in the big stages.

American opponents have suffered devastating defeats in all three of their Grand Slams this year. Before Anisimova took the court again at Wimbledon, Madison Keys outshot Sabalenka in Australia, Coco Gauff outlasted her in Paris, and Madison Keys outshot Sabalenka.

Sabalenka’s eagerness to defeat her foes can make her wildly inept, and her passion and desperation to win frequently turn into frustration and fury.

Sometimes, she has infused that emotion into her words. After telling Gauff that the American had won the French Open final “not because she played incredible], but because I made all those mistakes,” she apologized.

Sabalenka promises never to repeat that error.

“I learned that lesson, and I’ll never act in that manner,” he said. She said on Thursday, “It’s not me.”

“I felt incredibly emotional. I let my emotions rule, but that’s not who I am.

Sabalenka must master that emotion, especially when facing a divided home crowd, to succeed in New York.

After losing in the SW19 semi-final, Sabalenka remarked that Anisimova was “more brave” with her shots and that she needs to remind herself that she is at the top of the rankings in the crucial moments.

On the women’s tour, Sabalenka continues to be a top player. She holds a 3,292-point lead at the top of the rankings after winning 55 matches this year, winning three titles, and claiming three titles.

Since Martina Hingis in 1999, she is the first woman to reach the finals of the Australian and US Opens for three consecutive years, and she is also the first woman to do so in a calendar year since Serena Williams in 2016.

The pinnacle of the game is for any player to reach a Grand Slam final.

After failing to qualify the previous year, Anisimova made it through the summer.

However, it is simply amazing to have won a second major final just two months after SW19, where everyone had suffered a demoralizing defeat.

Anisimova’s US Open appearance has been a remarkable display of character and resilience. Her valiant resolve made her a fearsome adversary in addition to surviving such a brutal defeat.

Her three-hour tussle with Osaka was caused by her aggressiveness and fearless ball-striking, while grit and her sensational backhand saw her triumph over Swiatek.

After winning over Osaka, Anisimova praised her efforts, particularly in terms of her mental game and unwavering perseverance.

“She’s playing better than me, and I can’t really do anything,” I thought.

Despite being very difficult, I made every effort to stay in the match.

Anisimova acknowledged that this may not have been the case a few years ago, making it the youngest woman to reach the Wimbledon and US Open finals in a season since Serena and Venus Williams in 2002.

But she’s changed her mindset after a seven-month break from tennis two years ago.

Every match at Wimbledon was a surprise to me, even though I was there. Every match I won shocked me, she said.