Aryna Sabalenka is once again the US Open champion, having beaten Amanda Anisimova in two really hard-fought sets.
It was an enthralling affair, laden with winners but also littered with errors. However, that was always going to be the case when pitting two of the game’s biggest hitters against one another in such a high-pressure environment.
Sadly, for the hometown favourite, she just did not have enough to usurp the defending champion, despite actually breaking whilst the Belarusian served for the match.
It was a frustrating evening of tennis for Amanda Anisimova, who made far more mistakes than we had been accustomed to throughout this event.
However, that annoyance seemed to spill over into issues that Chris Evert deemed unimportant in the context of a Grand Slam final.
Chris Evert questions Amanda Anisimova’s complaint to the umpire
Speaking live on ESPN, she actually insisted that Anisimova needed to be ‘stronger’ in the face of such insignificant flashpoints, as she endured a long conversation with the chair umpire to complain about the roof and the lights.
“I can’t see the ball,” she insisted.
Evert reacted: “Amanda just went off the court to reset, like many of the players do when they lose the first set, but she started out slow, Patrick, and then she was up a break at 3-2. And she didn’t really continue that momentum. Sabalenka won four straight games after that.
“Anisimova had a long conversation with the chair umpire after dropping that first set. I couldn’t really make out what she was saying, but it was something with the roof, the lights, something that’s bothering her when she tosses up the ball.
“Every little thing bothers you. She’s stressed out. And she has to get that out of her mind. She has to be stronger.”
Evert explained why winning the US Open title was so important for Sabalenka, and she has now accomplished that feat, with her reaction justifying these claims.
Aryna Sabalenka is the first woman since Serena Williams to defend her US Open title
What Aryna Sabalenka has accomplished tonight, after the season she has endured, takes mental strength unlike anything we have ever seen before.
After all, she was on track to become part of a unique and unwanted list of world number ones to go through an entire year without a major title.
Not to mention that she has reached three finals and one other semi-final.
But, to return to New York, at an event that is notorious for its unpredictability, and soar to the title like she did, deserves the ultimate praise.
The last woman to defend her US Open crown was Serena Williams, who won three straight titles from 2012 to 2014.
