Sep 6, 2025; Flushing, NY, USA; Aryna Sabalenka celebrates championship trophy after winning the women's singles final against Amanda Anisimova (USA) (not pictured) of the 2025 US Open tennis championships at Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

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Aryna Sabalenka Joins Serena Williams With Historic Title Defense in 100th Grand Slam Win at US Open 2025 Final

Sabalenka def. Anisimova 6-3 7-6(3)

There was no more heartbreak in store for World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, as the Belarusian finally buried her 2025 Grand Slam rut. Sabalenka, who came into the tournament with doubts regarding her form, delivered an epic performance to overpower Amanda Anisimova 6-3 7-6(3) on Saturday. In a match that lasted just over an hour and a half, both players bludgeoned the ball out of their presence. But it was the top seed who was the last woman standing – winning her second US Open crown in the process – and fourth overall.

The win also gave Sabalenka her 100th victory at the Grand Slam level – she is just the second woman to hit the century mark at a major final after Iga Swiatek. Despite being put under pressure in her very first service game, the 27-year-old held her nerve to hold serve, and then exploded from there. She made inroads on almost every Anisimova service game, and powered through the first set despite having fewer winners than the 24-year-old American starlet.

As the match went on, Sabalenka started striking more shots away from Anisimova’s flawless backhand wing. According to her own admission, she hit more fierce groundstrokes down the middle so that her opponent had no time and space to free her arms. Courtesy a change of mentality and some help from the raucous Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd, Anisimova won three straight games to go up 6-5. But from there, it was one way traffic as Sabalenka forced a tiebreak and dominated proceedings to win in straight sets.

Sabalenka Goes Back-to-Back, Matches Serena Williams

Aryna Sabalenka becomes the first player to defend the US Open title since Serena Williams in 2014.

Phenomenal achievement for the world #1.

🐅 pic.twitter.com/pmW618DsLj
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) September 6, 2025

In 2024, Sabalenka won her maiden US Open championship by defeating Jessica Pegula in the final. Battling demons to retain her title, the Belarusian powerhouse dropped just one set en route to another success in 2025. Sabalenka is now the first woman since Serena Williams in 2013-14 to win consecutive women’s singles titles at the US Open. Prior to the match, she had already become just the third woman in the Open Era to reach over six consecutive hard court Grand Slam finals.

In her post-match press conference, Sabalenka remembered her father, who passed away in 2019. “When he [dad] passed away, I was very depressed. But I decided to take it as motivation to put our family name in history. I think I feel his protection from up there,” said the now four-time Grand Slam champion. The perfect icing on the cake would be the year-end No. 1 ranking. Can she do it?

(Image Credit: Mike Frey, Imagn Images)

Amanda Anisimova

Aryna Sabalenka

Serena Williams

Tennis

US Open

US Open 2025

WTA

Sankalp Harikrishnan

A passionate sports fan through and through, I am currently pursuing my MA in Global Sports Journalism. I specialise in tennis and football writing at The Playoffs News, and I have prior experience working at EssentiallySports and Sportskeeda. Born and raised in Bengaluru, India, sport was my safe space right from my childhood. After trying my hand at multiple sports and representing my educational institutions in cricket, badminton and table tennis, I found sports media to be my calling.