Amanda Anisimova was looking to win her maiden Grand Slam title in New York.
Advancing to the final with wins over Iga Swiatek and Naomi Osaka, Anisimova took on the world number one and defending champion Aryna Sabalenka.
Making a bright start, Anisimova’s backhand was firing on all cylinders, putting the Belarusian under pressure.
Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images
Unfortunately for Anisimova, errors began to creep into her game, allowing Sabalenka to take the first set 6-3.
Pushing on in the second, Sabalenka secured the win in straight sets, 6-3, 7-6.
Reacting to Anisimova’s second Grand Slam final defeat of the year, former British star Annabel Croft highlighted the ‘major problem’ she encountered on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Annabel Croft says Amanda Anisimova had a ‘major problem’ with her attitude towards the roof
Throughout the match, Anisimova shared her frustrations with the lights, claiming they were affecting her serve.
During her post-match press conference, Anisimova said the lack of visibility was a ‘shock’ to her, which she couldn’t adjust to.
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live after the match, Croft gave her verdict on the lights and how Anisimova reacted to the issue.
“I think she was a little negative for quite a lot of the match,” she said.
“I think the major problem was her attitude towards the serve and the roof.
Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images
“That kept on going, it was never going to change, and I’m not quite sure what the problem was there, but she got it into her head that it was a problem, and I think that really did prevent her from being able to use her serve effectively.”
Anisimova’s serve was well below par in the final, making seven double faults, to Sabalenka’s two.
PlayerAcesDouble faults1st Serve %Win % on 1st ServeWin % on 2nd ServeAmanda Anisimova4758%59%48%Aryna Sabalenka1265%60%68%Serving stats from the 2025 US Open final
The American was devastated after the match, but Croft believes there are plenty of positives to take, having performed much better than she did in the Wimbledon final this July.
“They were so different, markedly different finals. The other one was just traumatising, humiliating, embarrassing, everything, all the adjectives you can think of to describe that situation. Excruciating to watch and to play, I’m sure,” she said.
“But I think everyone is so admiring of her, she’s warmed everybody to her with how she’s come back with such a great spirit to be able to play to beat [Iga] Swiatek, and then come back here, get into her second Grand Slam final and experience the electricity, and amazing standing ovations when she was thumping those winners.
“It’s sad to see her absolutely sobbing at the change of ends here; she’s crushed.
“But I’m sure most coaches would say that’s actually a good thing, because if it hurts that much, then you’re going to really want to try to come back and improve yourself.”
While Anisimova recovers from the ‘hurt’ of her second Grand Slam final defeat, Sabalenka celebrates her fourth major title win.
Annabel Croft and Ryan Harrison praise ‘brave’ Aryna Sabalenka for US Open win
Croft was mightily impressed with Sabalenka’s performance in the 2025 US Open final.
“I like to see players rewarded for their hard work, application, and professionalism, and I think that’s what Sabalenka has done by winning here. She has always put out so much in terms of her professionalism and her team, seeking answers,” she said.
“I think we all underestimated her when she first bust onto the scene, as this raw kid, used to just blast the ball, we thought wow she was great fun to watch, but a little bit erratic and raw, but my goodness has she worked on herself and her game to become a multiple Grand Slam champion, and I really think she deserves it.
“This was a cauldron of emotion out here, and the way that she battled her own demons, she tried to stay calm.
“Had the match on her racket, that missed smash, could have been a terrible moment, where it would have swung wildly in the other direction, but she managed to halt it, and somehow kept going for her shots, backing herself with bravery, and she’s managed to get the job done.”
Also speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, former American doubles star Ryan Harrison gave plenty of credit to Sabalenka.
“Congratulations to Aryna Sabalenka, what an effort, especially in that second set when things got interesting, she had to fight through a lot of stuff this whole tournament, and in the end she had to deal with 24,000 American crowd members trying to pick up Amanda Anisimova,” he said.
“Sabalenka, in the end, that experience, that bravery that we’ve seen from her time and time again, and she proves why, that mental resilience, that competitive spirit, that brave ball striking. Yet again, comes through with another Grand Slam title.”
Now a four-time major champion, Sabalenka will turn her attention to the Australian Open in January, where she’ll look to win back the title she lost earlier this year.