Aryna Sabalenka Defends Title at the 2025 U.S. Open with Amazing Win

A Battle of Wills Under the Ashe Roof

From the moment they stepped onto the court for the warm-up, the narrative was set. Anisimova was the hometown hero; Sabalenka, the powerful outsider. But the Belarusian silenced the New York crowd from the get-go, breaking early and storming to a 2-0 lead. It was a statement of intent: I’m not here to play the villain; I’m here to win.

Anisimova, to her immense credit, fought back. Galvanized by the home support, she reeled off three straight games, momentarily seizing the momentum. The crowd erupted, sensing a possible shift. But this is where the new, fortified Sabalenka emerged. Instead of unraveling, she reset. She dug in, her focus narrowing to a pinpoint. She then ripped off four consecutive games, closing out the first set 6-3 with an exclamation point.

The second set felt like a slow coronation. Sabalenka secured an early, demoralizing break of serve, a gut punch to Anisimova’s hopes, as Sabalenka defends title. Every time the American found a slight crack of daylight, Sabalenka was there to apply spackle, sealing it shut with a booming serve or a baseline missile. The set inevitably marched towards a tiebreak, the 22nd she’s played this year. Incredibly, it was the 21st time she’s won. That single statistic speaks volumes about her mental fortitude in the moments that matter most.

A Champion’s Triumph and a Rival’s Resilience as Sabalenka Defends Title

Let’s give full credit to Amanda Anisimova. Just two months ago, she was on the receiving end of a 6-0, 6-0 drubbing in her first major final against Iga Świątek. That kind of public humiliation on the biggest stage can shatter a player’s confidence for good. But not Anisimova. She recovered, stunning the world by beating Świątek in a later tournament—a win she called the biggest of her career—and then taking down Naomi Osaka. Today, she didn’t shrink from the moment. She wasn’t nervous; she was simply, and definitively, outhit.

But this day, this tournament, and perhaps this entire year, belonged to Aryna Sabalenka. This wasn’t just another win; it was her 100th career singles victory at a major. The $5 million winner’s check is historic, but the real prize is her fourth career major singles title. This victory moves her from the conversation of “Hall of Fame eligible” into the rarefied air of “potential all-time great.”

Now, she heads to Australia, a land where she has become tennis royalty, winning the title twice and boasting a staggering 20-1 record in her last 21 matches. The era of Sabalenka is upon us, as Sabalenka defends title only cements that even more. Until someone can find a way to neutralize the most formidable power in the women’s game, it’s a reign that looks set to continue for the foreseeable future.