On September 6, 2025, local time, the women's singles final at the US Open wrapped up, with world No. 1 Sabalenka defeating Anisimova 6-3, 7-6(3) in two hard-fought sets, finally securing the title in her third Grand Slam final this year.

Sabalenka successfully defends her US Open women's singles crown.

This season, Sabalenka has been one of the most consistent players on tour, holding top positions in both world rankings and titles won. However, she faced setbacks in Grand Slams—losing to Keys and Gauff in the Australian and French Open finals, and falling to Anisimova in the Wimbledon semifinals. “After the Australian Open, I thought the best thing was to forget it and move on, but the same happened at the French Open. So after that, I realized it was time to sit down and thoroughly review those finals to learn from them, because I didn’t want the same mistakes to keep happening.”

Sabalenka admitted that she used to believe reaching the final guaranteed victory and didn’t consider that her opponents would fight just as hard. “I once thought everything would go smoothly, but that mindset was completely wrong. Before this final, I made up my mind to control my emotions no matter what happened during the match—whether my opponent broke back or played well, I couldn’t let my emotions get the best of me. After all, it’s a final; she (Anisimova) would definitely give it her all, especially after her last final (0-6, 0-6 loss to Swiatek), I knew she must be desperate for a better outcome.”

“My mindset was to give my all on court and fight for every point. Regardless of the situation, I focused only on myself and on the things necessary to win. Today’s match showed I had learned my lessons, and I sincerely hope that next time I reach a final, I won’t repeat the same mistakes and can better manage my emotions.”

Earlier final experiences this year gave Sabalenka a very different feeling during this championship run; she felt she had to overcome many obstacles to win the title. “I know how much effort I put in, and I believe I deserved a Grand Slam title this season. At that moment, my emotions completely erupted because defending this championship means so much to me. Being able to play great tennis on court, fight with all my strength, and keep my emotions in check—all of this is very meaningful. Right now, I feel incredibly proud.”

(Text and editing: Dato; Photo: Visual China)