Sabalenka beats Anisimova in straight sets to retain title

Aryna Sabalenka ended a painful grand slam season on a glorious high by defeating Amanda Anisimova to retain her US Open crown.

- ELEANOR CROOKS

Both women were looking to bury recent scar tissue, with Anisimova back in a major final 56 days after her Wimbledon whitewash, while Sabalenka suffered heart-breaking defeats at both the Australian Open and French Open - forced to apologise after an ungracious press conference towards winner Coco Gauff at the latter.

Sabalenka also lost to Anisimova in the semifinals at Wimbledon, putting her in the strange position of being by a distance the best player in the world but without a slam trophy in 2025.

She put that right in New York, showing herself and the wider tennis world that she can keep her cool when it really matters to quell a fightback from Anisimova and claim a 6-3, 7-6 (3) victory.

Sabalenka is the first woman since Serena Williams won three successive US Open titles between 2012 and 2014 to successfully defend it, while she has increased her tally of slams to four, having now added two New York triumphs to her pair of Australian Open trophies.

When Anisimova's final backhand landed just out, Sabalenka collapsed to the court behind the baseline, tears flowing, before thrusting her arms into the air in triumph and relief.