There's no stopping the World No. 1: Sabalenka wins second straight US Open title
Belarusian star outlasts Anisimova in straight sets to become first woman since Serena Williams to defend her crown in New York
NEW YORK — World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka reaffirmed her dominance in women’s tennis with a straight-sets victory over Amanda Anisimova, 6-3, 7-6 (3), to clinch her second consecutive US Open crown. In doing so, she became the first woman since Serena Williams in 2014 to successfully defend her title in New York.
The 27-year-old Belarusian, who has held the top spot in the PIF WTA Rankings throughout the year, capped her season with her first major trophy of 2025. Her résumé over the last three years has been nothing short of remarkable: in 11 Grand Slam appearances, Sabalenka has collected four titles, contested three finals, reached three semifinals, and made one quarterfinal.
This time, after falling short in the finals of the year’s first two Slams and bowing out in the semifinals of Wimbledon, she finally raised a major trophy again.
“All those tough lessons worth this one,” Sabalenka reflected after the win, summing up her campaign with seven concise words.
Her collection now includes two trophies each at the US Open and Australian Open—an achievement that mirrors Naomi Osaka’s run between 2018 and 2021, though Sabalenka managed the feat in just three years instead of four.
Fittingly, this triumph marked her 100th Grand Slam match victory, giving her an impressive win percentage of .794—second only to Iga Świątek among active players.
Anisimova’s uphill battle
Anisimova, who entered the final with a 6-3 edge in their head-to-head matchups, couldn’t repeat past successes against Sabalenka. Historically, her clean timing and crisp ball-striking have pushed Sabalenka behind the baseline, but under the bright lights of Arthur Ashe, the pressure told a different story.
The American finished with 29 unforced errors compared to just 22 winners. Sabalenka, by contrast, dialed back her aggression, firing only one ace and playing a more measured game, ending with 13 winners against 15 unforced errors. What tipped the scales decisively was her conversion on break points—capitalizing on five of six chances.
“I’m in awe of what you’ve accomplished,” Anisimova said during the trophy ceremony, praising both Sabalenka and her team. “Congratulations to you guys, you’re amazing.”
Despite the loss, Anisimova’s run ensures she will climb to No. 4 in the updated PIF WTA Rankings, capping what she called “a crazy, crazy journey.”
Breaking down the match
The final began in ominous fashion for Anisimova. Just as in her Wimbledon defeat earlier this year, she dropped the opening games quickly, handing Sabalenka an early break with a nervous forehand miss. That meant she had lost 14 straight games in major finals.
But she found her footing soon after. At 2-0 down, Anisimova unleashed a blistering forehand winner down the line to finally get on the board. After a spirited hold, she even broke Sabalenka’s serve.
Sabalenka, however, broke right back, evening the score at 3-all. When Anisimova double-faulted serving at 3-4, Sabalenka seized the opportunity, breaking again to lead 5-3. One more strong game closed out the set.
History was against Anisimova: 28 of the last 30 women’s champions in New York had won the opening set.
The second set brought more drama. Anisimova opened with a hold, but Sabalenka soon displayed her defensive skills, chasing down a near-impossible drop shot to set up a break for a 3-1 lead. The American rallied, pulling level at 3-3, only for Sabalenka to break once more for 4-3.
Serving for the championship at 5-4, Sabalenka found herself two points away, but an overhead error and a clever lob from Anisimova turned the momentum. The American broke back, held serve, and pushed the set into a tiebreak.
There, Sabalenka showed why she sits atop the sport. On her third match point, Anisimova sent a return wide, sealing Sabalenka’s title defense and her place in history.