- Sabalenka remains composed throughout the clash against Anisimova.
- Says her ‘mindset just go out there, fight for every point’.
- Says she deserved to have Grand Slam title this season.
New York: The US Open Champion ARYNA Sabalenka can names the “tiger”, but her triumph in New York on Saturday was less about raw aggression and more poise when the world’s number one stabilized herself and re -grouped herself in key moments to demand a fourth Grand Slam title.
The first woman since American Great Serena Williams (2012–14) was determined to become the first woman since the American Great Serena Williams (2012–14) to defend her crown at Flushing Meadows, the weight of the recent major setbacks to demand a 6-3 7-6 (3) victory over Amanda Anisimova in the final and keep her krone.
After the final defeats of Melbourne and Paris and a Wimbledon semi-final base against Anisimova, Sabalenka turned all the disappointment to fuel and served the right to show up for his press conference in the partial load, headslides on the head and a bottle of champagne in hand.
“After the Australian Open, I thought the right way would be just to forget it and move on, but then the same thing happened at the French Open. So I figured that okay, maybe it’s time for me to sit back and look at these finals and maybe learn something,” an ecstatic Sabalenka told journalists.
“When I went into this final, I decided to myself that I will control my feelings. I will not let them take control of me, and do not matter what is happening in the fight.
“My thinking was just about to go out there, fighting for each point. It’s not a matter of the situation. Just focus on myself and focus on things that I have to do to win the match.”
The event seemed mature for Sabalenka to crumble under the roar of a partisan Arthur Ashe audience cheering on her American opponent, but the 27-year-old showed she was equipped to prevail in the toughest moments.
Sabalenka earned the match when she gave Anisimova a break with a flubbed smash in what seemed to be a central momentum change. Still, the top seed did not miss as it means the most and won a record 19. Just a draw.
“There were moments when I was really close to losing control, but I said to myself, ‘No, it won’t happen. It’s totally okay’,” Sabalenka said.
“I was really close to losing it because you can’t make this kind of mistake on important points. Sometimes it can be crucial from my experience.
“But then I turn around and I took a deep breath and I was like okay it happens. It’s in the past. Let’s focus on the next.”
Sabalenka added that her milestone 100. Grand Slam Match Win Bar extra weight because of the path it took to get there.
“You know this one felt I had to overcome a lot of things to get this one,” she said. “I knew that the hard work we put in, just as I deserved to have a Grand Slam title this season.
“It means a lot to defend this title and bring so much tennis on the field. To bring the fight and be able to deal with my feelings, as I did in this final, it means a lot. I’m super proud right now by myself.”
