Aryna Sabalenka Reveals Mindset Shift to Overcome Tough Grand Slam Losses at the US Open

Aryna Sabalenka claimed her fourth Grand Slam title after beating Amanda Anisimova at the final of the US Open. The World No.1 extended her winning streak to 14 matches at Flushing Meadows and became the first woman to defend the New York Grand Slam title since American legend Serena Williams in 2014.

Anisimova entered the US Open women’s singles final leading Sabalenka 6-3 in their head-to-head record, having won their Wimbledon clash. But their tenth meeting was completely different from their previous encounters. Anisimova had always played the Belarusian star by hitting clean, ball-striking with superb timing, while pinning Sabalenka deep in her baseline.

But on Saturday (September 6) at the Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York, Anisimova was constantly under pressure, and that resulted in her hitting many errors on the court. The American star coughed up 29 unforced errors, going along with 22 winners. Sabalenka showed experience, hitting more conservatively from her baseline while also remaining aggressive.

The Belarusian star had suffered back-to-back Grand Slam final losses earlier this season and had learnt her lessons. She was more precise and patient, winning five of her break point opportunities, while hitting 13 winners and 15 unforced errors. She went on to beat the eight seed 6-3, 7-6(3) to win the US Open title.

The Grand Slam title was her first of the season and third in the past two years. During Sabalenka’s post-match press conference, she revealed that she had a simple mindset of not allowing her emotions to dictate her game against Anisimova. The World No.1 added that she remained focused throughout the match:

Upon reaching this final, I decided to control my emotions. I wasn’t going to let them dominate me, no matter what happened in the match. Whether I got broken on serve or played incredible tennis. My mindset was simply to step onto the court and fight for every point, regardless of the situation. I just had to focus on myself and what I needed to do to win the match. I have learned the lesson, and I hope it won’t happen again if I play another final, so I’ll have more control.

However, Anisimova is set to break into the Top 5 of the WTA rankings for the first time in her career. She will reach a career-high ranking of World No.4 when the rankings are updated on Monday (September 8). This season, she has won a single WTA 1000 title, while reaching two Grand Slam finals.

Aryna Sabalenka reveals what has been the difference in her career for the past three years

Aryna Sabalenka has dominated the women’s circuit this season, reaching eight tour-level finals. The US Open title is just her fourth crown of the season after losing in four finals. However, she has always given her best performances at Grand Slam events. In fact, for the past three years, she has won four Grand Slams, reached runners-up thrice, three semi-finals, and one quarter-final in 11 major tournaments.