Sabalenka conquers the US Open: Revenge and Crown of the #1 in the World

In January, after the Australian Open final, Aryna Sabalenka, visibly frustrated, smashed her racket against the ground. Madison Keys had achieved the surprise, and Sabalenka was left at the gates of her third consecutive title in a Grand Slam tournament. The disappointment of the Belarusian tennis player was palpable through the television screens. Months later, in the Roland Garros final, history repeated itself. This time, Coco Gauff defeated her, and Sabalenka’s anger erupted in the subsequent press conference, which soon went viral for the wrong reasons. In Wimbledon, she fell in the semifinals against Amanda Anisimova. She left the court discouraged and confused. Despite being number one in the world and having won two level 1000 titles, she couldn’t achieve victory in crucial moments. She took some time away from tennis to reflect and learn from what happened. Sabalenka arrived in New York with a thirst for revenge, determined to defend her title and redeem her season at the US Open. On Saturday, the tough defeats and the agony of the season seemed worth it. Jason Stacy, her performance coach, mentioned that Sabalenka began reading a motivational book after Roland Garros, describing it as a “fairy tale”. In New York, she found her own fairy tale ending.

Sabalenka wins her fourth Grand Slam title

In a sometimes turbulent match, Sabalenka defeated Anisimova with scores of 6-3, 7-6 (3) in 94 minutes, winning her fourth Grand Slam title.

After clinching the title on her third match point, Sabalenka knelt down, visibly emotional, and the tears of nine months of frustration flowed. The crowd erupted in cheers. Sabalenka, after a few seconds, got up and celebrated. She became the first woman to repeat as champion since Serena Williams and avoided being the first to lose three Grand Slam finals in the same season since Justine Henin in 2006. Her relief was evident.

“Those two finals in which I lost control of my emotions, I didn’t want it to happen again,” Sabalenka said after the match.

Aryna Sabalenka

Sabalenka acknowledged that there were moments when she was about to give in, but she stayed focused and persevered, which helped her achieve the victory.

Sabalenka’s power and talent are undeniable, as are her work ethic and ambition. Although she wasn’t a youth star like others, she achieved early professional success and rose rapidly in the rankings. In 2018, she won her first WTA title and was the Revelation of the Year. The following year, she won her first Grand Slam doubles title. Sabalenka, like many tennis players, is a perfectionist. Aware of her potential, she has worked tirelessly to reach an elite level. She overcame problems with her serve in 2022, turning to a biomechanics expert. That dedication has brought her remarkable success. Since her semi-final at Wimbledon in 2021, she has remained one of the most consistent players on the circuit. However, high expectations and self-imposed pressure led her to moments of frustration, such as the incident in Melbourne and her comments in Paris. After losing the Roland Garros final, Sabalenka blamed the wind. Her statements were poorly received, but she later apologized. Max Mirnyi, former world number one in doubles, joined Sabalenka’s team before the hard court season, and has constantly reminded her of the importance of adaptation.

“There is no such thing as a perfect tennis match,” Mirnyi commented.

Max Mirnyi

Sabalenka’s team constantly reminds her of Billie Jean King’s phrase “Pressure is a privilege”, and also the second part: “Champions adapt”. Sabalenka, with King present in the stands, along with other tennis legends, did it. After having a break advantage in the second set, Sabalenka made a mistake that allowed Anisimova to tie the score. Sabalenka admitted that she was about to “lose control” after the error, but remained calm.

“You can’t make these kinds of mistakes at important points,” she said. “But then I took a deep breath and said: ‘Ok, it happens. It’s in the past. Focus on the next one.'”.

Aryna Sabalenka

In the tiebreak, Sabalenka took control and, although she needed three match points, the victory was imminent. After being announced as the US Open 2025 champion, she addressed her team and the fans. Sabalenka, visibly moved, thanked her team for their support and acknowledged that the previous finals had been difficult, but that the effort was worth it. With a radiant smile, she stated that she would celebrate with some drinks, because “you have to enjoy it”.

Looking at Anisimova, with her face marked by defeat, Sabalenka shared a message of encouragement: “I know how much it hurts to lose in the finals. But, believe me, the moment you win the first one, you will enjoy it even more after all the hard defeats”.