Aryna Sabalenka Defended US Open Title. "This Is Crazy"

Aryna Sabalenka and Amanda Anisimova put on a spectacular show at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Saturday. The WTA No. 1 advanced to the final of the tournament at Flushing Meadows in style.

The sportswoman from Minsk eliminated Rebecca Masarova, Polina Kudiermetova, Leylah Fernandez, Cristina Bucsa, Marketa Vondrousova (walkover) and Jessica Pegula along the way.

In turn, the representative of the "Yankees" had on her roster, among others, Beatriz Haddad Maia, our Iga Świątek and Japanese Naomi Osaka.

The confrontation between the world's first women's racket and the home team's favorite promised to be exciting, and it must be admitted that it was.

"I'm trying to rewire my brain. If I can visualize this triumph, I'll have fulfilled my dream. I'm ignoring the hype. I'm ready and very excited. I know the fans will be on my side," the US representative told Eurosport before her fight with Sabalenka.

The 24-year-old recently took a heavy beating from Świątek during the Wimbledon final, losing 0-6, 0-6, but after the painful defeat in London, she quickly learned the lesson of humility, rebuilt herself mentally and took a successful revenge on the Pole, sending her away empty-handed in the quarterfinals.

It's worth noting that the American struggled with depression in 2023, was ranked in the top 500, and tennis experts strongly doubted her return. Meanwhile, Amanda Anisimova just reached her second consecutive Grand Slam final, surprising the entire tennis world.

Sabalenka, on the other hand, entered Saturday's match as the defending champion. The entire match was played indoors due to rain. The Belarusian seemed a bit paralyzed by the stakes at the beginning of the match, but despite serving problems, she won the opening game. Her opponent also struggled to keep her nerves in check, quickly giving in. With Aryna leading 2-0, Anisimova suddenly stepped up. Amanda played a superb backhand and visibly relaxed, taking a 3-2 lead.

None of this discouraged Sabalenka. The WTA ranking leader, thanks largely to her varied serving, more than made up for the loss. In the eighth and ninth games, the Freehold Township player's play completely fell apart, which the Belarusian capitalized on, winning the opening set 6-3.

The next set was a rollercoaster. Early in the set , Sabalenka showed off fantastic reflexes during one of the rallies, earning her a standing ovation from the crowd. The 27-year-old continued to deliver, taking a 3-1 lead. Aryna's lead on the court grew at one point, and her younger opponent seemed to be tightening. Just when it seemed the Minsk player might soon get her way, Anisimova stepped up, tying the score at 3-3. Sabalenka won the next two games, but the two-time Australian Open champion once again fell behind – this time due to aggressive returns from the American player.

To make matters worse, Sabalenka recalled a poorly executed smash, which clearly momentarily unsettled her. The Belarusian struggled to put the finishing touches on the set, so the set was decided only in a tiebreak. The defending champion maintained a much more composed demeanor, winning 7-3. Aryna ultimately defeated Anisimova 6-3, 7-6, with the entire spectacle lasting about an hour and a half.

"This is crazy. All the lessons I had to learn that day were worth it," the queen of New York said shortly after her success.

Aryna Sabalenka with a check for $5 million

Sabalenka received a check for $5 million thanks to her victory at Flushing Meadows . The world number one achieved an incredible feat – the last tennis player to defend the US Open title was Serena Williams in 2014. The September excitement surrounding the Grand Slam tournaments across the pond doesn't end there. Sunday's final, "for dessert," features the men's singles final, which will pit the two top-seeded players against each other: Italian Jannik Sinner and Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz.