A closer look at the anatomy of Aryna Sabalenka’s 6-3, 7-6 (3) US Open victory reveals a champion who won the title by dominating the most crucial points. It was her performance in the micro-battles within the match that led to her macroscopic success.
In the first set, the key was her performance on break points. She was clinical in converting her one opportunity on Anisimova’s serve, while saving the few that she faced on her own. This efficiency set the tone for the entire match.
In the second set, the anatomy of her win shifted to her performance after a setback. Following her stunning smash error at 5-4, a point that would have mentally disintegrated many players, her next service game was a masterclass in composure, holding serve to force the decisive tiebreak.
Finally, the tiebreak itself was a point-by-point dissection of her opponent. She won the opening points to build a lead, capitalized on Anisimova’s errors, and closed it out with an aggressive forehand. Each point was a building block in her championship structure, meticulously laid to ensure victory.
