Aryna Sabalenka's Last Chance

NEW YORK, THURSDAY – Aryna Sabalenka has maintained her position at the top of the women's singles tennis world rankings for 46 weeks since October 21, 2024, but her achievements in 2025 remain incomplete as she has yet to win a Grand Slam title. She has one last opportunity through the final of the US Open tournament.

Sabalenka will appear in the final match at Flushing Meadows for the third consecutive time, continuing from her final results in 2023 and her championship win the following year. Two years ago, she lost to Cori Gauff and won against Jessica Pegula in the 2024 final.

In the 2025 final, which will take place at Arthur Ashe Stadium, Flushing Meadows, New York, on Saturday, September 6, 2025, her opponent will be Amanda Anisimova. Sabalenka secured her spot in the final first by defeating Pegula, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.

In the second semifinal, which ended early Friday morning local time (Friday afternoon Indonesian time), Anisimova defeated Naomi Osaka 6-7 (4), 7-6 (3), 6-3. The nearly three-hour match featured a total of 24 break points as both players struggled to hold their respective serves.

Osaka, appearing in her first Grand Slam semifinal as a mother and fresh off her 2021 Australian Open triumph, struggled further when her serve weakened in the third set. Anisimova capitalized on this to apply pressure, landing the ball near the baseline. Osaka was often caught off guard before she could build a rallies.

Anisimova, the hope of the home crowd after the defeat of another American tennis player, Pegula, will compete in her second consecutive Grand Slam final. She was too nervous when facing Iga Swiatek in the Wimbledon final, resulting in a loss of 0-6, 0-6; however, this will serve as a valuable experience for her in facing Sabalenka. Moreover, the audience at Arthur Ashe will be supporting her.

"As an American tennis player, playing in the final here feels like a dream come true. This has been a long-time dream of mine, and I will strive to be ready for the final later," said Anisimova, who is of Russian descent.

The world number nine tennis player achieved several of her best accomplishments in 2025 as preparation for her first final at the US Open. She secured her first title at the WTA 1000 level in Doha, Qatar, in February. Anisimova also reached her highest position in the world rankings, which was seventh place, in July.

Another supporting factor is the victory in the most recent meeting with Sabalenka, in the Wimbledon semifinals, less than two months ago. Anisimova has also become the only player to thwart Sabalenka from reaching the finals in all Grand Slams in 2025.

With the spirit of realizing her dream of winning a Grand Slam in her own country, Anisimova will face Sabalenka, who does not want to go through 2025 without a Grand Slam title. In fact, this Belarusian player has shown the most consistent performance in the women's singles competition since 2024.

If I could win a trophy, it would mean a lot. I'd probably be the happiest person in the world.

In Grand Slam finals on hard courts, Sabalenka has won three out of four matches, specifically at the Australian Open in 2023 and 2024, as well as the US Open in 2024. The only loss for Sabalenka occurred at the US Open, where she was defeated by Cori Gauff.

With the highest winning percentage this year (before the US Open), at 83.3 percent, Sabalenka reached the finals in two of the previous three Grand Slams. However, she lost in three-set matches to Madison Keys at the Australian Open and to Coco, the nickname of Cori Gauff, at the French Open.

"If I can win a trophy, it would mean a lot. Perhaps, I would be the happiest person in the world," said Sabalenka.

Not only through three consecutive years with the Grand Slam title, a victory in the final will lead Sabalenka to become the women's singles champion of the US Open consecutively after Serena Williams from 2012 to 2014. After that, the champion has changed every year, with only Osaka being able to win twice, in 2018 and 2020.

“Hopefully, I can change that list (defending the US Open title),” he said.

Meanwhile, Osaka stated that she is not too disappointed with the results obtained during the two weeks in Flushing Meadows. Moreover, the semifinal against Anisimova was her first after becoming a mother.

Osaka withdrew from the tournament from September 2022 to December 2023 due to pregnancy and gave birth to her first child in July 2023. In the seven Grand Slam tournaments throughout 2024 and before the US Open 2025, her best result was reaching the third round at the Australian Open and Wimbledon 2025.

At the US Open, a solid performance allowed her to defeat Coco in the fourth round, followed by Karolina Muchova in the quarterfinals. Coco secured her second Grand Slam title in her career at the 2025 French Open, while Muchova was the player who defeated her in the second round of the 2024 US Open.

"I am not too sad; it feels strange to feel that way. I have done my best here, and this serves as inspiration to train again and strive for better. I cannot be angry with myself over this result," said Osaka.

As the men's singles semifinal against Carlos Alcaraz approaches, scheduled for Friday afternoon local time, Novak Djokovic carries the goal of breaking the dominance of Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. The two tennis players, aged 22 and 24, are the champions of the last six Grand Slam tournaments. They also competed in the finals of the French Open and Wimbledon this year.

The third edition of the Alcaraz-Sinner final at the Grand Slam in 2025 is likely to occur as Sinner is also part of the semifinalists. The world number one is favored against his opponent, Felix Auger-Aliassime.

"We know there are two of the best tennis players in the world, and perhaps everyone hopes they will compete in the final. I will try to disrupt other people's hopes," said Djokovic.

Djokovic's journey in the Grand Slam in 2025 was not too bad, as he consistently reached the semifinals in all tournaments at the age of 38. However, Sinner halted his progress at the French Open and Wimbledon. Meanwhile, at the Australian Open, Djokovic withdrew while facing Alexander Zverev due to injury.

The meeting between Djokovic and Alcaraz will take place for the ninth time and the first at the US Open after previously competing in three other Grand Slams. Djokovic won the last two encounters, at the Paris 2024 Olympic final and the quarterfinals of the 2025 Australian Open; however, his condition is not very fit. During his match against Taylor Fritz in the quarterfinals, he experienced pain in his shoulder and right leg. (AFP/AP)

2025 US OPEN WOMEN'S SINGLES FINAL FACTS

-       Aryna Sabalenka's third straight final at Flushing Meadows

-       Sabalenka's third Grand Slam final in 2025 after the Australian and French Opens

-       Sabalenka's sixth hardcourt final out of seven Grand Slam finals

-       Sabalenka has appeared in every Grand Slam hardcourt final since 2022

-       Anisimova's second consecutive Grand Slam final after Wimbledon

Anisimova is the third American women's singles player to reach the final of a Grand Slam in 2025 after Madison Keys (Australian Open champion) and Cori Gauff (French Open champion).

Anisimova is the third American tennis player faced by Sabalenka in the US Open final after Coco (2023) and Jessica Pegula (2024).