“I love revenges,” Aryna Sabalenka had said in the run-up to the US Open championship. Looks like her feelings were earnest as the WTA world number one retained her US Open title with a 6-3, 7-6 (3) victory over Amanda Anisimova, showcasing near-total control despite a challenging season. “I’m super proud right now of myself,” she said, celebrating her triumph. As the saying goes, the winner has it all, and the loser must fall. Anisimova accepted the defeat with grace, yet Andy Roddick is confident it’s only a matter of time before she lifts her first Grand Slam.

While chatting on his Served podcast, he suggested that it’s just a matter of time before Anisimova battles through the challenging path and seizes a Grand Slam. “Amanda Anisimova is going to win a Grand Slam. She’s going to win a Grand Slam. And your heart breaks. I’ve been in that situation where, you know, you just want to… I won the first one, so I didn’t have that thing: ‘Will he win one?’ It was like, ‘Will he ever win one again?’ But, you know, the pressure set is rough,” said Roddick.

From the very first point, it was obvious that neither player was holding back. After a shaky start, Amanda found her rhythm, unleashing punishing groundstrokes from both wings that had carried her past Iga Swiatek and Naomi Osaka earlier in the week. Yet, when the pressure peaked, she faltered. Sabalenka’s laser focus and relentless aggression dominated the baseline, relentlessly attacking Anisimova’s second serve and keeping unforced errors to a minimum.

In the end, Anisimova’s flashes of brilliance were eclipsed by her untimely mistakes, as she finished the match with a total of 29 unforced errors, leaving Sabalenka in the spotlight. Talking about the Belarusian’s performance, Roddick expressed, “Also, like Sabalenka, there’s some mental fortitude there, man. She loses Australia when she’s the favorite, loses the French when she’s the favorite, loses to Anisimova when she’s the favorite at Wimbledon, number one in the world, and gets one more shot, right? It’s like a really weird thing. Number one in the world… maybe your year, you have to be really good for it to be considered a little bit of a disappointment when you’re number one.”

Roddick broke down the match, noting that Sabalenka’s winning shot was a blend of pure instinct and precision. He explained that her serve was angled wide enough to catch Anisimova off guard, yet Amanda managed to fire back with her trademark power. Without a moment’s hesitation, Sabalenka stepped in, attacked the first ball from the center of the court. Speaking about her performance, Sabalenka stated, “I think because of the finals earlier this season, this one felt different.”

She further added, “This one felt like I had to overcome a lot of things to get this one. I knew that the hard work we put in, like, I deserved to have a grand slam title this season. So when I fell, it was like truly emotional, because it means a lot to defend this title and to bring such great tennis on court.”

Sabalenka walks away with yet another win on her record, but what about Anisimova? How does she process the sting of this defeat, and what does she have to say about her performance? Let’s find out.

“I didn’t fight hard enough,” said Amanda Anisimova after losing to Aryna Sabalenka

Amanda Anisimova looked positively disappointed with herself as she watched her opponent hoist the US Open trophy high under the New York lights. Walking away in silence, with only a few offering comfort, she let the pain sink in. “I didn’t fight hard enough for my dreams,” Anisimova admitted, reflecting on the crushing defeat.

She admitted, “With finals, I have a lot of nerves, and it’s something I’m trying to work on, but I wish I played more aggressively. I feel like if I fought harder, maybe I would have given myself more of a chance.” Sensing her disappointment, Sabalenka offered reassurance, saying, “I know how much it hurts. But trust me, the moment you’re going to win the first one—and you are going to win it—you’ll enjoy it even more after the tough losses.”

From losing her Wimbledon crown to falling short at the US Open, Amanda Anisimova has endured it all. Yet, one thing is clear: her growth has been remarkable. At just 24, she has plenty of room to rise, and both Roddick and Sabalenka are certain her breakthrough is coming.