Sabalenka Successfully Defends Her US Open Crown

Aryna Sabalenka, US Open
Aryna Sabalenka (photo: Jürgen Hasenkopf)

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON, September 7, 2025 (by Michael Dickens)

Aryna Sabalenka knows a thing or two about playing in Grand Slam finals. After all, the powerful 27-year-old from Belarus was appearing in her third straight US Open title match and seventh major final overall, including three this year alone.

On Saturday afternoon, with the roof closed over Arthur Ashe Stadium to keep the rain out and the noise in, the top-ranked Sabalenka successfully defended her 2024 US Open crown with a 6-3, 7-6 (3) victory over No. 8 seed Amanda Anisimova of the United States in one hour and 34 minutes to capture her fourth Grand Slam title overall – all on hard courts.

After being ranked World No. 1 all season long, Sabalenka finally has won her first major title of 2025. She strung together six quality wins on the court plus a walk-over win off of it – keeping her emotions in check and relying upon her experience and powerful groundstrokes. Sabalenka received her second-straight Tiffany & Co. trophy for her consistency as well as $5 million (USD) in prize money, the biggest paycheck in Grand Slam history for women. Fifty years after Chrissie Evert won her first US Open title in 1975, the Hall of Famer who commented on the final for ESPN presented the trophy to this year’s winner.

During her trophy remarks, Sabalenka thanked the crowd of more than 23,000 that filled Arthur Ashe Stadium, many of them who were cheering for Anisimova. She spoke of how she’s enjoyed playing in New York over the years.

“I love it. I love it here. I love the support. feel like throughout the years, we’ve built a relationship and you guys give me so much support,” Sabalenka said. “My first year here, when I saw that I have to play back-to-back against Americans, I was just like ‘no way.’ Please, I don’t want to play.

“Then, coming back the next year and I have to play again back-to-back against Americans in the semis and finals I felt a bit more support. This year, I felt even more support. So, I’m super excited to come back next year. I hope you’re going to cheer for me. Thank you guys for bringing the best atmosphere.”

Looking back, a flurry of forced and unforced errors by Anisimova enabled Sabalenka to win the 38-minute opening set 6-3, after earlier trailing by a break at 2-3. The Belarusian went on to win four straight games and by the end of the set had converted all three of her break-point opportunities while also taking advantage of 15 unforced errors by Anisimova.

Then, Sabalenka went ahead by a set and a break at 2-1 in the second set after hitting a backhand winner. After she consolidated the break for a 3-1 advantage, Anisimova soon made it 3-all after holding serve and breaking back with a backhand winner of her own. Next, Sabalenka responded with her fifth break of Anisimova after the American netted a forehand to move ahead 4-3. An easy hold at 15 moved her to within one game of successfully defending her US Open title.

However, Anisimova wasn’t ready to concede anything and she broke Sabalenka for the fourth time to draw even at 5-all. Then, the 24-year-old American, who was born in New Jersey and raised in Florida, consolidated matters and pushed ahead 6-5. Suddenly, after being two points from winning the championship, Sabalenka found herself having to win a game in order to stay in the set and force a tiebreaker – their first against each other in 24 sets of competition. She did just that, thanks in part to an ace and a forehand winner. 

In the tiebreak, which on paper would favor Sabalenka – who had won 18 straight tiebreakers, an Open Era record – she jumped out to a 4-1 advantage, benefiting from a hitting error and a double fault on Anisimova’s serve. Then, she increased the lead to 6-1 on a forced error and a forehand winner to set up championship point. Anisimova saved a couple of championship points by holding her serve twice. However, Sabalenka won the tiebreaker on her third championship-point try, 7-3, after Anisimova struck a second-shot backhand wide.

It was game, set, match, championship Sabalenka, who dropped to her knees in celebration, covered her face with both hands and began crying happy tears. She finally had gone from heartbreak, after losing two earlier finals this season – both to Americans, Madison Keys at the Australian Open and Coco Gauff at the French Open – to champion. It was her 100th career major triumph and 50th career win against a Top-10 opponent.

Sabalenka finished ahead on points, 76-59. She hit 13 winners to 15 unforced errors, compared to 22 winners and 29 unforced errors by Anisimova. Sabalenka won 60 percent (27 of 45) points on her first serve and converted five of six break points, while Anisimova won just 58 percent (22 of 38) points on her first serve. She broke Sabalenka four times in seven tries but it just wasn’t enough to change the outcome of the final.

In garnering her 21st career WTA Tour title, Sabalenka became the first repeat champion at the US Open in more than a decade, since Serena Williams won three straight New York titles from 2012-14. Sabalenka also avoided becoming the first woman since Justine Henin in 2006 to lose three major finals in a single season.

“It’s been a great summer. Losing in two finals in a row is great, but then it’s also super hard,” Anisimova said, in accepting her runner-up plate. “I think I didn’t fight hard enough for my dreams today.”

Later, Anisimova praised Sabalenka, saying: “Congrats to Aryna. You are so incredible. … I’m in awe of what you’ve accomplished, and you keep on achieving so many incredible things.”

Soon, Sabalenka shared kind words with the fallen Anisimova, who had lost her second-straight major final, after losing 6-0, 6-0 to Iga Swiatek in the Wimbledon Championships title match in July. 

“All the tough lessons make this one worth it,” she said. “I’m speechless right now. … Congrats Amanda on reaching back-to-back Slam finals. I know how much it hurts, losing in the final. But trust me, the moment you’re going to win the first one – and you’re going to win it. You play incredible tennis.”

Although winning the US Open title wasn’t really in doubt, by the end, Sabalenka showed her experience of handling the pressure of a major final better than Anismiova. After getting so incredibly close to winning the first three majors of the season, Sabalenka had finally struck gold.

Granollers and Zeballos win second major doubles title of season

No. 5 seeds Marcel Granollers of Spain and Argentina’s Horacio Zeballos saved three match points en route to defeating No. 6 seeds Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski of Great Britain, 3-6, 7-6 (4), 7-5, in two hours and 24 minutes on Arthur Ashe Stadium with the roof closed to win the US Open men’s doubles title. It was their second major title of 2025 and a repeat of their French Open final.

Granollers, 39, and Zeballos, 40, became the first pair to win both Roland-Garros and US Open titles in the same season since 2009, when Lukas Dlouhy of Czechia and India’s Leander Paes achieved the feat.

Their respective semifinal victories on Thursday set up the second meeting this season that the two highly-skilled teams have met in a major final. Their first meeting this year was in the Roland-Garros title match, which the Spanish/Argentine pair won. They also have met this year at Wimbledon, which Granollers and Zeballos won in the quarterfinal round.

At 4-5 (0-40) in the third set, Zeballos held his serve as he and Granollers saved three consecutive championship points and went on to hold serve for 5-all. Then, after breaking Salisbury and Skupski in the next game, they served out the victory and won on their second championship point. Granollers and Zeballos outpointed Salisbury and Skupski 98-97.

After Granollers and Zeballos lost their first three Grand Slam finals, including the 2019 US Open, they have won the last two they’ve played in within a span of four months. In all, the Spanish/Argentine pair have won 14 career ATP Tour titles together.

“Honestly, I don’t know what to think right now. It was an amazing battle,” Zeballos said during the trophy ceremony. “When you play these kinds of matches, it is so unfair when there is a winner and a loser, because the guys did everything great. They really deserved also to win this match, so congrats and keep it going.

“I can’t believe we just won the US Open. It’s so beautiful to be here with all these people watching us.”

Granollers added: “These two weeks were probably some of my toughest ever, so I have to thank all the physios here, our doctor, everybody who helped me be ready to play the tournament.

“Thank you to my partner, because we have been fighting for a long time together. This year we are having amazing results, and I’m very happy to do it with you.”

Around the US Open

A busy Saturday saw finals take place in junior boys’ and girls’ singles and doubles and men’s and women’s wheelchair singles and quad wheelchair singles around the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center grounds.

• No. 1 seed Ivan Ivanov of Bulgaria became the first junior boy to win both the Wimbledon and US Open titles in the same season since Canada’s Filip Peliwo in 2012. In an all-Bulgarian final, Ivanov beat Alexander Vasilev, 7-5, 6-3, in 75 minutes on Court 12. He finished with 19 winners – including three aces – and converted five of nine break points. Ivanov outpointed his opponent 63-53. Ivanov is the first Bulgarian junior boys’ champion at the US Open since Grigor Dimitrov won the title in 2008.

• No. 14 seed Jeline Vandromme of Belgium won the junior girls’ title with a 7-6 (2), 6-2 victory over Lea Nilsson of Sweden in one hour and 31 minutes on Court 7. Vandromme struck 25 winners and converted four of seven break points. She outpointed Nilsson 71-60. En route, Vandromme defeated No. 2 seed and French Open finalist Hannah Klugman of Great Britain in the semifinals, while Nilsson eliminated defending champion and this year’s No. 9 seed Mika Stojsavljevic of Great Britain.

• Vandromme contested two finals on Saturday, as she and partner Laila Vladson of Lithiuania, seeded fourth, were defeated by sisters Alena and Jana Kovackova of of Czechia, 6-2, 6-2, in 56 minutes on Court 12 in the girls’ doubles final. The Kovackova sisters outpointed Vandromme and Vladson, 54-39.

• In an all-American boys’ doubles final, No. 6 seeds Keaton Hance and Jack Kennedy held on to beat No. 7 seeds Noah Johnston and Benjamin Willwerth, 6-3, 1-6, 10-8, in 62 minutes on Court 14. Despite being outpointed 56-52, Hance and Kennedy combined to hit 23 winners to just seven unforced errors. They converted two of seven break points.

• No. 1 seed Tokito Oda won the men’s wheelchair singles title with a 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (11) victory over No. 4 seed Gustavo Fernandez of Argentina in two hours and 12 minutes on Court 11 in back of 49 winners despite being outpointed 100-98. He saved four championship points during the final. The victory for Oda completed a Golden Slam at age 19. 

• No. 1 seed Yui Kamiji of Japan rallied to beat No. 3 seed Li Xiaohui of China, 0-6, 6-1, 6-3, in one hour and 35 minutes on Court 10 to capture the women’s wheelchair singles title. Kamiji overcame 43 winners by Li and outpointed her 65-61.

• No. 1 seed Niels Vink won an all-Dutch quad wheelchair singles final over No. 2 seed Sam Schroder, 6-1, 7-5, in 71 minutes on Court 13. Vink hit 21 winners and outpointed Schroder 69-48.

Saturday’s US Open results

Sunday’s US Open order of play

By the numbers

• Aryna Sabalenka is just the sixth women’s player since 2000 to achieve three Grand Slam finals in a season, joining Lindsay Davenport, Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Justine Henin and Angelique Kerber.

• Jannik Sinner aims to become the first reigning men’s champion to defend the US Open title since Roger Federer won five consecutive titles from 2004-08.

“Quotable …”

“I feel like our rivalry has started here really, playing an amazing match. We are two different players now, different confidence, too. So let’s see what’s coming. We’ve played quite a lot this year, so we know each other very well.”

– Defending US Open champion Jannik Sinner of Italy, during his post-match interview speaking about Carlos Alcaraz, following his semifinal victory over Felix Auger-Alliasime of Canada Friday night, in which he garnered his 300th career win.

 

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