New York: World number one Aryna Sabalenka confirmed her dominance on hard courts by defending her US Open title, beating American eighth seed Amanda Anisimova 6-3, 7-6(3) in Saturday’s final at Flushing Meadows.
The Belarusian collected her fourth Grand Slam trophy and became the first woman since Serena Williams (2012–2014) to win consecutive US Opens. The win was also her 100th match victory at Grand Slams, a mark of her steady success at the top of the sport.
In a clash of two powerful hitters, Sabalenka’s control made the difference. She finished with only 15 unforced errors, compared with 29 from Anisimova, and kept her focus despite the loud support for the American in Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The match began with the roof closed after a sudden shower. Sabalenka dropped an early game but quickly recovered with strong serving and sharp groundstrokes. She wrapped up the first set with an ace and took the lead in the second with a clean backhand winner.
Playing her second Grand Slam final, New Jersey-born Anisimova pushed hard to stay in the contest. She drew cheers from the crowd by levelling the set at 3-3 and later breaking back for 5-5 after Sabalenka missed an easy smash. But her resistance faded in the tiebreak, where Sabalenka’s pace and accuracy proved too much.
Concrete jungle where dreams are made of 🐯🏆
Aryna Sabalenka, two-time US Open champion. pic.twitter.com/RrpRhsIbaC
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 6, 2025
“It’s been a great summer – reaching two finals is special, but it’s also very tough. I didn’t fight hard enough for my dreams today,” the 24-year-old said tearfully.
Sabalenka, 27, dropped to her knees after the final point and shared an emotional hug with her team. She then celebrated with her usual gesture of playfully slapping her trainer’s bald head before lifting the trophy.
“I know it hurts, but when you win your first one – and you will – you’ll see the tough moments were worth it,” she told Anisimova.
The victory earned Sabalenka $5 million in prize money and further strengthened her status as the leading force on hard courts, having now reached every major final on the surface since 2022.
Anisimova’s strong run means she will climb to world number four in the new rankings, continuing her comeback after taking a break in 2023 to focus on her mental health.
Sabalenka left the press room smiling, carrying a champagne bottle, and promising more success ahead. “I’ll be in more finals,” she said.
