# US Open: Aryna Sabalenka, la colère froide

**By Amelie Fontaine**  \nPublished September 3, 2026  \nUpdated September 9, 2026

> World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka mastered her emotions and outmaneuvered Amanda Anisimova 6-3, 7-6(3) at Arthur Ashe Stadium to capture her fourth Grand Slam title and second consecutive US Open crown.

FLUSHING MEADOWS, N.Y. — Aryna Sabalenka beat Amanda Anisimova 6-3, 7-6 (7-3) in the U.S. Open final at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Saturday, securing her second consecutive title at Flushing Meadows and the fourth major of her career. The straight-sets victory leveled her major trophy count with active player Naomi Osaka, yet the scoreline masked a tension that nearly mirrored Sabalenka’s harrowing collapses earlier in the season.

For Sabalenka, the summer of 2026 had been shadowed by high-profile emotional unravelings. Most notably, her French Open quarterfinal exit against Diana Shnaider saw her squander a set and a double-break lead, losing 12 of the last 13 games while visibly buckling under the weight of pressure. That vulnerability resurfaced briefly on Saturday when she was broken to fall behind 3-2 in the opening set. Visibly frustrated, Sabalenka weighed smacking a ball away in anger. A public display of rage would have invoked ghosts of Paris and lit a combustible fuse across Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Instead, the world No. 1 executed a cold fury. She checked her temper, completely altering her trajectory by making zero unforced errors across the next four games to seize the opening set. Martina Navrátilová noted the psychological turnaround on social media and in post-match commentary: Aryna Sabalenková ukázala, jaká je šampionka, protože na ni byl vyvíjen velký tlak – prohrála finále na Australian Open a French Open. Sabalenka měla o něco větší palebnou sílu a klid. Cítila tlak, a tak nezaváhala. V rozhodujícím zápase skvěle udržela nervy.

Tactically, the final was won and lost in the gritty exchanges of second-serve returns. Both Sabalenka and Anisimova are renowned for aggressively punishing second serves rather than treating them as neutral restart points. Darren Cahill pointed to this precise battleground as the decisive differentiator: Dnes večer měla opravdu dobrý přehled o Amandině hře. Postarala se o body z druhého podání, což byl v zápase, který spolu hrály, velký rozdíl. By the end of the first set, Sabalenka stabilized to win 54 percent of her second-serve points, while Anisimova plummeted well below that mark, heavily encumbered by double faults.

Anisimova relied on a high-risk, low-margin brand of power tennis that had previously propelled her past Iga Świątek and Naomi Osaka. Her lethal forehands and backhands down the line were devastating when they landed, but they demanded millimeter-perfect precision. Sabalenka, historically a pure power hitter who answered errors by hitting harder, deployed her evolved toolkit over the last two years. Utilizing strategic drop shots, sharp cross-court angles over the lowest part of the net, and biting slices, she deliberately drew Anisimova forward and neutralized the American's preferred down-the-line missiles.

The match possessed supreme late drama. Serving for the championship at 5-4 in the second set, Sabalenka missed a routine smash one point away from victory and was subsequently broken. Yet, when the second set spilled into a tiebreak—where Sabalenka entered with an 18-match win streak—she locked down immediately. Anisimova sprayed consecutive missed returns, including a backhand down the line wide on a second serve, sealing her fate.

In defeat, Anisimova reflected candidly on her execution: Losing in two finals in a row is great, but it’s also super hard. I think I didn’t fight hard enough for my dreams today. I just wanted to say congrats to Aryna today. You are so incredible.

Sabalenka, speaking during the trophy presentation, acknowledged the profound relief of converting her opportunities after a bruising major campaign: It’s been tough this year. In those finals, I was really terrible. But come on, it’s worth it, right? Thank you so much. I love you; you’re my family.

## Sources

- [nytimes.com](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6606440/2025/09/06/sabalenka-anisimova-us-open-final-result-analysis/) — original
- [seznam.cz](https://www.seznam.cz/komentare/25609576-aryna-sabalenka-se-pomstila-za-us-open-a-po-roce-opet-postoupila-do-finale-australian-open) — original
- [tbtennis.cz](https://tbtennis.cz/aryna-sabalenka-zvladla-obhajit-titul-na-us-open-a-slavi-zisk-ctvrte-grandslamove-trofeje/) — original
- [nbcnews.com](https://www.nbcnews.com/sports/tennis/top-ranked-aryna-sabalenka-loses-french-open-rcna348251) — original