At the end of an excruciating season filled with near-misses and heartbreak at the final hurdle, Aryna Sabalenka began her third consecutive US Open final with one final chance to win the grand slam title she felt she was owed.
This occasion could have been the source of more anxiety and stress, another reason for her to fall apart, but Sabalenka’s increasingly legendary career has been driven by her ability to recover and learn from her worst losses, no matter how painful they are. This time, the No 1’s nerves perfectly held up under pressure as she maintained her composure during a late surge from Amanda Anisimova before closing her US Open title defence with a 6-3, 7-6 (3) win.
