Sabalenka’s Relentless Pressure Proves Too Much for Anisimova

The defining feature of Aryna Sabalenka’s US Open final victory was the relentless, suffocating pressure she applied to Amanda Anisimova from start to finish. This constant pressure was the primary factor in her 6-3, 7-6 (3) win, as it ultimately caused the American’s high-risk game to break down.
This pressure came in many forms. It was in her deep, heavy groundstrokes that pushed Anisimova behind the baseline. It was in her aggressive returns that immediately put Anisimova on the defensive in her own service games. And it was in her focused demeanor, which gave her opponent no room to breathe or build confidence.
Anisimova’s game thrives on rhythm and dictating play, but Sabalenka never allowed her to find that comfort zone. Every point was a struggle for the American, who was forced to go for increasingly difficult shots just to stay in the rallies, leading to a high number of unforced errors.
Even when Sabalenka had a brief lapse late in the second set, she immediately reapplied the pressure, holding serve and then dominating the tiebreak. It was a masterful performance in sustained, championship-level intensity that Anisimova simply could not withstand.