By Tony Fairbairn
- Aryna Sabalenka [1] v Amanda Anisimova [8]
- H2H: Anisimova leads 6-3
NEW YORK, USA – Amanda Anisimova looks to achieve her Grand Slam dream when the American faces defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in the US Open final.
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Aryna Sabalenka [1] v Amanda Anisimova [8] H2H & Match Fundamentals
Champions find a way to win. That’s exactly what Aryna Sabalenka did as the world number one battled past Jessica Pegula in three sets to reach a third consecutive US Open final. Now the defending champion aims to end her Grand Slam season with a title to her name as she will look to keep her emotions under control to claim a second consecutive title in New York. Standing in Sabalenka’s way is Amanda Anisimova who is into a second consecutive Grand Slam final after enduring Naomi Osaka in a three hour marathon.
| Aryna Sabalenka [1] v Amanda Anisimova [8] | H2H: Anisimova leads 6-3 |
| US Open 2025 | New York, USA |
| Hard (O) | Prize Money: $2,500,000/$5,000,000 |
| Second on Arthur Ashe Stadium (Not before 21:00 BST) | Sky/Now TV <- Subscription Required |
Both players have cruised through most of the tournament but had to endure testing semi-finals under the night time lights in New York.
Aryna Sabalenka [1] route to the final
R1: Rebeka Masarova 7-5 6-1
R2: Polina Kudermetova 7-6(4) 6-2
R3: Leylah Fernandez [31] 6-3 7-6(2)
R4: Cristina Bucsa 6-1 6-4
QF: Marketa Vondrousova W/O
SF: Jessica Pegula [4] 4-6 6-3 6-4
Amanda Anisimova [8] route to the final
R1: Kimberly Birrell 6-3 6-2
R2: Maya Joint 7-6(2) 6-2
R3: Jaqueline Cristian 6-4 4-6 6-2
R4: Beatriz Haddad Maia [18] 6-0 6-3
QF: Iga Swiatek [2] 6-4 6-3
SF: Naomi Osaka [23] 6-7(4) 7-6(3) 6-3
Tale of the Tape – Key Stats (Last 52 Weeks)
| H2H: | Aryna Sabalenka (WR 1) | Amanda Anisimova (WR 9) |
| Tournament Previous Best | Champion (2024) | R3 (2020) |
| 1st Serve Return Points Won % | 37.6 | 38.2 |
| Return Points Won % | 46.1 | 45.5 |
| Break Point Conversion % | 48 | 44.6 |
| Break Point Saved % | 63.9 | 59.1 |
| Total Points Won % | 53.7 | 52.2 |
Sabalenka’s aggressive serving will be put to the test against the consistent efficiency and accuracy on return from Anisimova.
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Playing Styles and Prediction
After entering this tournament with doubts lingering over her head, Sabalenka has done well to remain focused and continue doing what champions do.
The world number one is now one win away from retaining her US Open crown and leaving this season with a Grand Slam title to her name.
After her win over Pegula, Sabalenka explained what it would mean to defend her US Open champion and win a first Grand Slam of the season.
“If I’ll be able to hold that trophy, it’s going to mean a lot for me. I’ll be the happiest person on earth, probably,” Sabalenka explained to the US Open website.
“I badly wanted to give myself another opportunity, another final, and I want to prove to myself that I learned those tough lessons and I can do better in the finals.
“Losing sucks, you know? You always feel like you want to die, you don’t want to exist anymore, and this is the end of your life. But the first moment is always the worst one, because every time you compete at [a Grand Slam], and you get to the last stages, you think that you’re getting close to your dream. Then you lose the match, and you feel like, ‘OK, this is the end.”
Standing in Sabalenka’s way is Anisimova who is into her second consecutive Grand Slam final after knocking out former champions in back-to-back matches at the US Open.
The American is now looking to achieve her Grand Slam dream and win a first title at this level after an impressive renaissance from Anisimova since her mental health break.
Ahead of the final Anisimova spoke about the level of her semi-final and what it would mean to win her first Grand Slam title.
“This tournament means so much to me, and I think that was really getting to me,” Anisimova said about the semi-final to the WTA website.
“In the end, I was just trying to fight my way through and enjoy the moment. We were both playing some amazing tennis, and sometimes I was like, ‘How are we making these shots?’ But we were — and we just kept going.
“It’s a dream come true. This has been a dream of mine forever — to be in the US Open final. Obviously, the hope is to be the champion…But I mean, I’m in the final now, and I’m going to try to get ready. I’m just excited — it’s really special.”
Sabalenka will look to get as many first serves in as possible and will need to paint the lines on the big points in order to neutralise Anisimova’s attacking qualities.
Meanwhile Anisimova will use the backhand to put Sabalenka on the backfoot and will capitalise on any short balls from the world number one.
The big factor to look out for will be Sabalenka’s emotional control and whether she can handle the big moments well against a player she has struggled against.
This will be all about who can handle the occasion better and if Anisimova can handle it better than she did at Wimbledon then the American should win her first Grand Slam title of her career.
Prediction: Anisimova in three sets.
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