NEW YORK – Alina Sabalenka didn’t make many mistakes despite not sacrificing her power.
No. 1 rank Sabalenka won the fourth Grand Slam title of her career and became the fifth player in the open era (male or female) to win each of the first four major titles on the same surface.
However, this was not all a smooth voyage.
Sabalenka led twice to a break in the second set, earning a 5-4 victory. However, in all 30 times, very close to the trophy, she had the opportunity to hit her overhead and reach the match point. Instead, while back pedaling, Sabalenka put the ball in the net and gave Anishimoba a chance to rest.
After that unbearable mistake, Sabalenka dropped the racket into her blue coat and smiled and laughed. A moment later, 24-year-old American Anisimova transformed his break to reach 5-All and shook his left fist, but 24,000 of Arthur Ashe Stadium’s closest friends cried out and yelled.
Ah, but fifteen minutes after Flav, Sabalenka was kneeling on her coat, covering her face with her hands and passing through at the third match point. This year she was 21-1 with her, winning her final 19.
She became the third woman since 2000, defending her title in two different majors, joining Serena Williams (Australia Open, US Open, Wimbledon) and Venus Williams (US Open, Wimbledon).
As a result, Sabalenka avoided becoming the first woman to lose three major finals in a single season since Justine Henin in 2006.
“All of these rigorous lessons deserved this,” Sabalenka said. “I don’t have words right now.”
Sabalenka, 27, from Belarus, was runner-up to the Australian Open Madison Keys and the French Open Cocogoff in January. Later, at Wimbledon in July, Sabalenka was eliminated by Anishimoba.
This led Anishimoba to her first major final.
However, Anisimova quickly put that shutout behind her, enough to win a rematch with Swiatek in the US Open Quarter Final.
“It’s great to lose in two finals in a row, but that’s also very difficult,” said Anishimoba, who buried his face in a towel after the match. “I don’t think I fought hard for today’s dream.”
Sabalenka told her: “I know how painful it hurts it losing in the final, but trust me… you’ll win (1).
Some fans may have been wondering when Anishimoba kicked Sabalenka out 2-0, 2-0 as Saturday’s game began.
right.
Anisimova grabbed the next four points and capped the game with the backhand winner and the forehand winner. This caused partisan fans to stand up and scream, and Anishimoba letting her breath as she walked to the sidelines and wiped sweat from her forehead.
Soon, she led 3-2. However, Sabalenka took the next four games and won that set.
As it began to pour before the game, the artificial lights on the Ash were turned on and the retractable roof was closed. It sometimes seemed like a distraction to Anishimova. Anishimoba moved to her team in the stands with something bothering her during the throw of the ball.
This setup also created a windless state. This is ideal for two ball strikers and can actually bring power in good contact. And that was something they did from the start, as they surprised them with so many paced fast serves and deep ground strokes that it was never easy to respond.
Some exchanges were breathtaking – certainly for them, and for the audience who were breathless with force during the longer points.
Both are aggressive back and forth, and risk aversion is rare. Like the mistake, the reward could be huge, with Anishimoba looking for the line completely cutting both sides.
Of Sabalenka’s first 13 points, it helped him to claim the first two games. Another dozen arrived thanks to six forced errors and six forced errors from Anisimova.
Finally, Anishimova had nearly twice the winners of Sabalenka, 22-13, and almost double the forced error at 29-15.
“You’re so incredible,” Anishimoba told Sabalenka during the trophy ceremony. “I am in awe of what you have accomplished and you continue to achieve so many incredible things.”
This report uses information from the Associated Press.