Aryna Sabalenka defeats Anisimova to retain US Open crown

New York. Ayrna Sabalenka defeated Amanda Anisimova in straight sets to clinch the US Open Women's singles title in New York on Sunday early morning.

The World No 1 defeated Anisimova 6-3, 6-7 (3) to claim her fourth Grand Slam title.

The victory made her the first woman since Serena Williams more than a decade ago to win the tournament in back-to-back years. It also marked Sabalenka’s fourth Grand Slam title, all of them on hard courts.

She twice went up a break in the second set and even served for the championship at 5–4. At 30-all, just two points from glory, she had a chance to smash an overhead for match point. Instead, backpedaling awkwardly, she sent the ball into the net, handing Anisimova a lifeline.

Sabalenka dropped her racket on the blue hardcourt and gave a rueful smile. Moments later, Anisimova — the 24-year-old American — seized the break for 5-all, pumping her fist as nearly 24,000 fans in Arthur Ashe Stadium roared.

But 15 minutes after that costly miss, Sabalenka was on her knees, hands covering her face, having converted her third match point. She narrowly avoided becoming the first woman since Justine Henin in 2006 to lose three major finals in one season.

The 27-year-old from Belarus had already fallen short to Madison Keys at the Australian Open and Coco Gauff at Roland Garros. At Wimbledon, Anisimova had ousted her, reaching her first Grand Slam final — though there, she was routed 6–0, 6–0 by Iga Swiatek.

Anisimova, however, quickly put that humiliation aside, rebounding to defeat Swiatek in the US Open quarter-finals.

Anisimova reeled off four straight points to break back, finishing with a backhand winner followed by a forehand rocket that brought the crowd to its feet. Soon she led 3–2. But Sabalenka steadied herself and swept the next four games to claim the opening set.

The match unfolded under Ashe’s closed roof and artificial lights, after rain swept through New York. The conditions left the air still and heavy, perfect for two of the game’s biggest hitters. From the outset, both unleashed booming serves and blistering groundstrokes, thrilling the crowd with their power and shot-making.

Neither player is built to play it safe, and their exchanges produced a mix of breathtaking winners and costly errors. Anisimova, swinging freely at the lines, lived on the edge. Of Sabalenka’s first 13 points, only one came via her own winner — the rest were gifts, split evenly between Anisimova’s forced and unforced errors.

With inputs from AP