World number 1 Aryna Sabalenka won her first grand slam title of the season this weekend at the 2025 US Open, her fourth overall and her second US Open title, becoming the first woman to defend her title here since Serena Williams 10 years ago. But this was much more than one more title for Sabalenka who has had a hugely dominant season in terms of rankings points and consistency, but one of the most challenging due to questions about her big match results and temperament
After a loss in the final of the Australian Open to a peaking Madison Keys, the biggest disappointment for Sabalenka was Roland Garros. She was in pole position having beaten the seemingly unbeatable-on-clay, Iga Swiatek, only to mentally self destruct on and off court in her loss to Coco Gauff. Her Wimbledon run was stopped in the semifinals by Amanda Anisimova. For the first time this year, we went into a grand slam with Sabalenka not everyone’s favourite for the title. Iga Swiatek had swept to the Wimbledon title and had also looked impressive on the fast hard courts of Cincinnati where for the last two years, the champion there had gone on to lift the US Open title – Gauff in 2023 and Sabalenka in 2024. Many were tipping Iga to go all the way in New York.
But if there is one word that sums up Aryna Sabalenka to me it is resilience. She was well beaten by Elena Rybakina in Cincinnati and didn’t start off her US Open campaign that convincingly. Gavin MacMillan, the biomechanics specialist who had been in her box for the last 3 years and has been widely credited for helping her fix her serving woes of 2022, was suddenly spotted on the practice courts with Coco Gauff, whose serve issues are almost as bad – if not worse – than Sabalenka’s were. Everyone was quite tight lipped about the switch. ‘By some miracle he became available’ said Gauff in press, while Sabalenka – usually an open book in press – gave a ‘no comment.’
Three slams, no title despite being world number 1 throughout 2025. Had Aryna lost her nerve in big matches? It was also noted that these losses had all come to Americans, she had got a ton of negative press after the Coco Gauff/Roland Garros incident and here she was, heading into the US Open with one final chance to win a slam.
After the draw opened up for her with the unfortunate withdrawal of Marketa Vondrousova who had been awesomely good in defeating Elena Rybakina, the first big test was in the semifinals against Jess Pegula, who Sabalenka beat in last year’s final. Pegula once again brought it, but Sabalenka was massively clutch in the key moments.
Sabalenka broke Pegula at the start of the final set but then didn’t win a point on Pegula’s serve – yet held her own serve for a hard fought but mightily impressive win. Sabalenka’s roar of triumph was tinged with a some relief at winning a really compelling match and getting to yet another grand slam final. Pegula once again showed she is the driest wit after a loss on the tour!
Amanda Anisimova, her opponent in the final, had showed tremendous resilience herself after getting double bagelled by Iga Swiatek in the Wimbledon final. I am not a particular fan of Anisimova (after she ended Petra Kvitova’s 14 match win streak in Indian Wells as a 16 year old, but let’s not get into my pettiness!) however, her story is a compelling one. She was a much talked about teen but just before her 18th birthday her father died suddenly. This and the rigours of the tennis life seemed to take their toll as she struggled to make much impact on the tour and two years ago decided to take a mental health break, going back to college and getting into painting.
She showed she was back with an impressive run to the WTA1000 title in Doha in February 2025, beating Jelena Ostapenko to win the biggest title of her career. However, she didn’t come to life again until the grass season, with the final in Queens and that run at Wimbledon, where she beat Aryna Sabalenka in a very tense semifinal. Unfortunately for her, that win seemed to be her peak as she was emotionally and physically overwhelmed in the final by Iga Swiatek. A 6-0, 6-0 loss is pretty crushing and I really did not think she would be back in a slam final any time soon. However, it was clear she was hitting the ball sweetly, her famous backhand just a devastating shot. She bagelled Beatriz Haddad Maia in set 1 of the 4th round with more thunderous hitting to set up a rematch with Swiatek in the quarterfinals.
It was a very different story this time. A nervy opening game saw her get broken and it looked like Iga might continue with her mental dominance, but Anisimova started swinging and Iga was not having a good serving day. With a little fortune – an outrageous net cord on her third match point after Swiatek had saved the first two and it was getting a bit tense – but mostly really aggressive attacking tennis, Anisimova’s revenge was complete. She got the better of a resurgent Naomi Osaka in the semifinal, recovering from a set down and not playing that well. Anisimova’s game is not unlike Petra Kvitova’s in a way – timing and power, sweeping the ball into the corners, bold and aggressive, not the greatest mover. But her peak? Extremely high, and like Petra, she has shown amazing resilience. I really SHOULD be a fan…
The US Open final was set, and the way Anisimova was playing there were quite a lot of people who put her down as the favourite. What a story – from getting double-bagelled to grand slam champion in her home country? She had a 6-3 winning head-to-head over Sabalenka. All the pressure was on Sabalenka as the world number 1 who had fumbled 2 finals against Americans. She would have the crowd behind her. It seemed to be set up for a fairy tale ending for Anisimova – as the US Open so often has been for its women champions. From Kim Clijsters’ return from maternity leave, Steffi Graf completing her golden slam here, Serena Williams first grand slam title in 1999, one and done winners like Sam Stosur and Flavia Pennetta, Naomi Osaka’s first slam, the unexpected winners Bianca Andreescu and Emma Raducanu, Coco Gauff finally getting her first grand slam title. The US Open has often been an opportunity for female tennis players to make their name.
So the fact that Aryna Sabalenka won this match was some achievement. Anisimova came out firing, her huge shots leaving Sabalenka standing and watching. However, Sabalenka stayed calm and controlled throughout and took an early lead, only for Anisimova to fight back to 2-2. However the Anisimova game was on shaky ground. She was going for her shots, but an error didn’t seem too far away. A break and a hold from Sabalenka took the first set 6-3.
One of my favourite statistics about Aryna Sabalenka is the fact that she has not lost a match in straight sets at a grand slam event since the 2020 US Open when she was beaten 6-1, 6-3 by Victoria Azarenka. (Incidentally, that COVID US Open was an amazing one for Vika who beat Sabalenka in straight sets, a youngster named Iga Swiatek to whom Vika gave a warm handshake and told everyone how good this kid was going to be. She also beat Karolina Muchova, Serena Williams in the semifinals, only to lose to that destroyer of dreams, Naomi Osaka in the final!)
Sabalenka’s tenacity means even when she loses, she rarely goes down without a fight! And this final was off to a good start with her taking the first set with calm controlled tennis. It was Anisimova making the big winners but also the big errors. For so long it has been the explosive power of Aryna Sabalenka who has had matches on her racquet – she hits big, makes the most noise, she has main character energy! The second set had Sabalenka taking control and Anisimova looking more deflated. Sabalenka led 5-3 and served for the match at 5-4. At 30-30 she had an overhead to get to match point and a straightforward win, but her feet seemed stuck underneath her and she could only pat it into the net. The crowd goes wild. Break point to get back on serve. Anisimova was alert again, got her break then a strong hold to lead 6-5. If she could get a break and snatch the second set, surely the home support and her momentum could take her to the title?
Nope. Sabalenka stood up to serve at 5-6 and was nails. Her serve was a weapon, she used smart plays of serve+1 and when another good serve was unreturned, it was 6-6 tie break time.
Now if you are a Sabalenka watcher as I am, another of her remarkable statistics is her tie break record. In 2025, it was 20-1 including the last 18 in a row! Get Aryna Sabalenka in a tiebreak and she locks down. I don’t know if Anisimova was aware of Sabalenka’s tie break record – I have a feeling she was, as unfortunately for her, she did not bring her best. An ace on the first point of the breaker got Anisimova off to a good start but she lost the next 6 largely with errors, both forced from big Sabalenka hits and unforced – including a double fault. Criminal in a tie break!
After a couple of loose go-for-it swings from Sabalenka she served at 6-3 and Anisimova put her return out. Aryna Sabalenka sank to her knees and looked incredibly emotional. The pressures of being so close but having no grand slam titles to show for it all came out it seemed. She had managed her emotions, the crowd support for her opponent – again – and those doubting voices who were questioning her credentials as a world number 1.
This title confirms Sabalenka as the best player in the world, but more importantly, after a season probably more memorable for her losses than her wins, a major title. A good win over an opponent who has beaten her several times and was the more aggressive player. That doesn’t happen often to Aryna Sabalenka, but this win shows her maturity as a player. She played smart. She still was aggressive on serve, but her return game was much better than at Wimbledon. She moves better than Anisimova and got low on her shots. Most importantly, she stayed calm and in control and just focused on the task in hand.
A very reflective Sabalenka press conference touched on that self-growth and understanding herself, but her relief at finally getting a major title is also quite obvious!
Sabalenka’s consistency at the grand slams is almost absurd. This win was her 100th win in the majors, her 19th tie break won in a row and her record in the last few years is amazing. In the last 12 slams, she has only failed to make at least the semifinals once, and that was the Rolnd Garros quarter final in 2024 where she could hardly move due to a stomach bug – but still managed to win a set from Mirra Andreeva!
Of course the next challenge is to win a grand slam title on one of the natural surfaces, clay or grass. All four of Sabalenka’s titles are on the hard courts of Melbourne and New York – just like Naomi Osaka. This year may have been her best chance at Roland Garros as Iga Swiatek seems to have found her form. I still think the low bounce of the grass is a challenge for Sabalenka, but we will see.
Australia will see Iga Swiatek look to complete the career grand slam, Coco Gauff look to demonstrate what more time can do to her serve, and Aryna Sabalenka looking to get a third Australian Open title.
2025 grand slam season is over – even if the tennis season isn’t. Sabalenka, Swiatek, Gauff and Madison Keys are the four champions. What will 2026 bring? More great tennis and great drama hopefully, and I have a feeling Aryna Sabalenka will once again be a major player.
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