New York – Just seconds after the end of the Australian Open final in January, Aryna Sabalenka, visibly upset, smashed her racket on the court. Madison Keys had caused the upset, leaving Sabalenka without her third consecutive title in a major tournament. The disappointment of the Belarusian tennis player was felt around the world.Months later, in the Roland Garros final, Sabalenka lost again, this time to Coco Gauff. The frustration was evident in her post-match speech, which quickly went viral. Weeks later, at Wimbledon, she fell in the semifinals to Amanda Anisimova, leaving the tournament with disappointment.Sabalenka, world number 1 for the entire season and winner of two 1000-level titles, did not achieve success in crucial moments. She took some time away from tennis to reflect and learn from what happened.Upon her return to New York, Sabalenka arrived hungry for redemption, determined to defend her US Open title and close out the season of major tournaments with a victory. On Saturday, the tough defeats and the agony of the season seemed worthwhile.Facing Anisimova again, this time at Arthur Ashe Stadium and with most of the crowd supporting the American, Sabalenka won her fourth Grand Slam title, after a 6-3, 7-6 (3) victory in 94 minutes.Aryna Sabalenka defendió su título del US Open el sábado, derrotando a Amanda Anisimova.After securing the title on her third match point, Sabalenka knelt down, visibly emotional, before the eyes of the public. She became the first woman to repeat as champion since Serena Williams and avoided becoming the first to lose in three Grand Slam finals in a single season since Justine Henin in 2006. Her relief was palpable.
“In those two finals where I completely lost control of my emotions, I simply didn’t want this to happen again. There were moments when I was about to let it go, but I told myself: ‘Come on, you can’t do that. You just have to stay focused and keep going, keep trying.’ And that really helped me”.
Aryna Sabalenka
Sabalenka perdió en las finales del Abierto de Australia y Roland Garros este año.Sabalenka’s power and talent have always been evident, as has her work ethic and ambition. Although she wasn’t a youth star like many of her contemporaries, she achieved professional success from an early age, quickly climbing the rankings. In 2018, she won her first WTA title and was named Newcomer of the Year. The following year, she won her first Grand Slam doubles title at the US Open.Sabalenka, a perfectionist by nature, knows her potential and has worked tirelessly to reach an elite level of play. She overcame problems with her serve in 2022 with the help of a biomechanics expert. This dedication has led her to amazing success.Since reaching her first Grand Slam semi-final at Wimbledon in 2021, Sabalenka has established herself as one of the most consistent players on the circuit. After controlling her service issues, she has reached the quarter-finals or better in every Grand Slam she has played, reaching four of the last five finals and six of the previous hard court finals. She has held the number 1 spot since October, but this has generated high expectations and pressure on herself.Not achieving what she knows she is capable of has resulted in difficult moments, such as the incident with the racket in Melbourne and her comments in Paris. After the defeat in the Roland Garros final against Gauff, Sabalenka blamed the wind. She was criticized for her comments and subsequently apologized.Max Mirnyi, former world number 1 in doubles, joined Sabalenka’s team before the hard court season, and has emphasized the importance of adaptation and resilience.
“One of my main lines when joining the team and sometimes speaking directly with Aryna is to convey the message that there is no perfect tennis match. Perfection doesn’t exist on a tennis court. You can take the best matches of Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer or Steffi Graf… there will always be things that didn’t go as planned, and it’s the best champions who know how to respond and adapt in the moment, on the fly.”
Max Mirnyi
La número 1 del mundo, Sabalenka, obtuvo su victoria número 100 en un torneo de Grand Slam el sábado.On the court, a sign with Billie Jean King’s phrase “Pressure is a privilege” serves as a constant reminder. The team also reminds her of the second part of the quote: “Champions adapt”.With King present in the stands, along with other tennis legends, Sabalenka demonstrated that ability to adapt. After breaking serve twice in the second set, Sabalenka was close to victory, but an error on a smash cost her a crucial point, allowing Anisimova to equalize the set.Sabalenka admitted to having been on the verge of “losing control” after the error, but managed to remain calm. Two games later, the tiebreak was reached. Sabalenka, who had won her previous 19 tiebreaks, took control. Although she needed three match points, the victory seemed assured.After being announced as the 2025 US Open champion, Sabalenka turned to her team. Instead of running off the court, she took her time, greeting the fans and embracing her coaching staff.
“This year has been difficult with those finals. I was very hard on you, but come on, it was worth it, right? Thank you very much. I love you. You are my family.”
Aryna Sabalenka
During the television interview, Sabalenka announced that she would celebrate with a few drinks, because “you have to enjoy” after so much effort. The joy on her face showed that the previous hard defeats had made Saturday’s triumph even sweeter. Looking at Anisimova, visibly affected, Sabalenka shared her feelings:
“I know how much it hurts to lose in the finals. But believe me, the moment you win the first one, and you will win it… you will enjoy it even more after all the tough defeats in the finals”.
