Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

‘I Know How Much It Hurts To Lose in the Finals’ – 2025 US Open Winner Aryna Sabalenka Shares Kind Words for Amanda Anisimova After Defending Her Title at the Big Apple

Sabalenka defends US Open crown, praises Anisimova’s spirited challenge.

Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

Aryna Sabalenka successfully defended her US Open crown on Saturday, overpowering American Amanda Anisimova 6-3, 7-6(3) in a one-hour, five-minute final at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The World No. 1 and top seed captured her fourth Grand Slam title overall, adding to her twin triumphs in Melbourne (2023, 2024) and last year’s US Open. With the victory, Sabalenka became the first woman since Serena Williams in 2014 to win back-to-back US Open titles, further cementing her status as the dominant force in women’s tennis.

ARYNA SABALENKA CLINCHES HER FOURTH GRAND SLAM TITLE! 🏆🏆🏆🏆 pic.twitter.com/r2Yo8kcfAX
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 6, 2025

Sabalenka Defends Title, Shares Respect for Anisimova

The Belarusian came out firing, breaking early to establish control and riding her trademark power game to take the opening set 6-3. The second set proved far tighter, with Anisimova battling back to level at 3-all and even breaking late to stay alive. Sabalenka, however, steadied her nerves in the tiebreak, sealing her 101st career Slam win with her trademark aggression and tigress’ roar. She has now played seven major finals, holding a 4-3 record.

Aryna Sabalenka gave words of encouragement to Amanda Anisimova ❤️ pic.twitter.com/uUEk3DMxec
— ESPN (@espn) September 6, 2025

In her on-court interview, Sabalenka offered heartfelt words for her opponent: “Congrats, Amanda, on reaching back-to-back Slam finals. I know how much it hurts, losing in the final. But trust me, the moment you’re going to win the first one.. and you are going to win it. You play incredible tennis. Congrats to you and your team on the things you’ve achieved after your comeback. Girl, you’re gonna enjoy it even more after the tough losses in the final.”

Amanda Anisimova after losing to Aryna Sabalenka in U.S. Open final

“It’s been a great summer. Losing in 2 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 wanna say congrats to Aryna. You are so incredible. I know… pic.twitter.com/c2hfTsJX7p
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) September 6, 2025

Anisimova, gracious in defeat, returned the respect: “I’m in awe of what you’ve accomplished. You keep achieving so many incredible things. Big congratulations to you and your team. You guys are amazing.”

Key Stats From the Championship Match

The fourth Grand Slam win marked Sabalenka’s 35th US Open victory in 41 matches, improving her Slam season record to 24-3. She also extended her astonishing tiebreak dominance to 20-1 in 2025, a testament to her mental edge under pressure. Among active players, only Iga Swiatek holds a higher career winning percentage than Sabalenka’s .794.

Aryna Sabalenka successfully defends her US Open title 😤 pic.twitter.com/Vj84pA4ck2
— ESPN (@espn) September 6, 2025

The Belarusian’s streak of success over the past three years now mirrors Naomi Osaka’s meteoric rise from 2018 to 2021, with Sabalenka notching four Slams, two in New York and two in Melbourne, in just 11 majors played. For Anisimova, it was another valiant step, her second straight Grand Slam final, just after Wimbledon, highlighting her as a threat.

Mandatory Image Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

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Amanda Anisimova

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Rudra Dubey

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I’m an academic turned sports writer from Raipur, India, specializing in the NFL, MMA, and tennis at The Playoffs. I previously wrote for Sportskeeda and hold a B.A. and M.A. in History. My journey into sports media began far from the field, rooted in the arts and sciences. Funny enough, I didn’t grow up a sports fan; I used to see it all as just noise. But a fateful writing job introduced me to the world of sports, and what began as a gig quickly became a passion. I understood those voices aren’t noise; they’re emotions of true sports fans, and now I am one of them, writing with the same energy I once questioned.