“I have to say that she was more brave today. And maybe when I was just trying to stay in the point, she was like… playing more aggressive.” That’s the honest confession Aryna Sabalenka made the last time she went face-to-face against her tour nemesis, 24-year-old Amanda Anisimova. You see, Sabalenka might be No.1, but the rising American star leads her 6-3 in H2H battles. Her mantra is simple: “Power. Poise. Presence.” Amid sports lovers’ anticipation for their rematch at the US Open, a top voice has now leaned in favor of Anisimova. Not to mention he’s underlined the Belarusian’s biggest weak point.

During their most recent clash at the All England Club, Anisimova survived Sabalenka in a thrilling decider. The American snatched the first set but the three-time slam winner leveled the fight in the next one. During the third set, Anisimova kept her calm and turned victorious with a final score line of 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, making it to her maiden slam final. This weekend, she will appear in her second-straight summit clash of a major tournament.

Top coach Rick Macci – famously known for being the childhood trainer of 23-time slam queen Serena Williams and teaching her nuances of the racket sport in the early 90s before her skyrocketing success – believes Anisimova’s got a real chance against Sabalenka. In a post on X, he wrote, “Anisimova versus Sabalenka is who can have fun in the New York sun. Whoever enjoys the fight will take flight.” Highlighting the factors that may affect the result, he added, “Nerves could come into play and that might decide the day. Both players can Bam but if Sab get mad DOUBLE A MIGHT WIN HER FIRST SLAM.” Simply put, Sabalenka needs to keep a check on her on-court aggression to prevent more endless errors. In Paris, she committed 70 unforced errors compared to Gauff’s 30. It led to the Belarusian’s huge loss in that final at Roland Garros.

Interestingly, there’s another factor that may benefit Anisimova. While Sabalenka is commonly known as the hard-hitter among WTA players, it’s actually Amanda Anisimova who’s faster in striking the ball. Especially when it comes to backhand speed. Not just among WTA pros, but even the ATP heavyweights. How come? Well, this crucial detail was revealed during the broadcast of her SF match against Naomi Osaka. Anisimova’s average backhand speed was clocking in at 77 mph (123.91 kmph). Guess what? It even leaves behind World No.1 Jannik Sinner. His average backhand speed comes in at 76 mph (122.31 kmph).

Speaking more of Macci’s praise for Anisimova, he’s highly impressed with her comeback. Especially after getting double bageled more than 50 days ago at Wimbledon against six-time slam queen Iga Swiatek.

A day ago, in a different post, he commended the 24-year-old while claiming, “Nobody in the history of tennis has flipped a script so fast from losing 6/0 6/0 and then beat the player who served you bagels and you follow it up beating one of the hottest players on tour in Osaka and your in another Grand Slam final. Unreal mental magic from Amanda.” But what about Anisimova herself? Does she really believe that she can be a first-time slam winner? Well, she’s going in with high spirits.

Amanda Anisimova looks to create history in US Open final against Sabalenka

While it was tough to forget that nightmarish day at the Center Court, Anisimova has come a long way. After winning her semifinal clash against four-time slam champion Naomi Osaka, she revealed her experience following the loss against Swiatek. “I feel like the last few weeks it’s been a bit of a different feeling,” said the American as reported by US Open website on September 5. She added, “I feel like when I was at Wimbledon, every single match was kind of like a surprise to me. I was, like, shocked with every match that I won.”

But at the American hard court slam, Anisimova realized she had a chance of redemption. “Here it feels more (like) I believe in myself, and I’m able to do it, kind of. So I think that’s been the shift for me, at least here at the US Open.”

While she leads the H2H tally against Aryna Sabalenka, Anisimova knows the final won’t be a cakewalk. “It’s the No. 1 player in the world, and she’s playing amazing tennis,” she confessed. “It’s going to be a really tough match and a battle. I’m excited. Every single time we have played, it’s been great.”

Sabalenka will enter her third-straight US Open final. In 2023, she lost to Gauff before winning the 2024 title against Jessica Pegula. It will be intriguing to see whether she defends her crown or Anisimova snatches it instead.

For all the latest updates from Flushing Meadows, don’t forget to follow our live US Open blog. While we await the scintillating finals, guess which WTA player we caught up with off the court: Mirra Andreeva! Here is what she had to say: