U.S. Open champion Aryna Sabalenka may be nicknamed "The Tiger," but her New York triumph on Saturday was less about raw aggression and more about poise, as the world No. 1 steadied herself and regrouped in key moments to claim a fourth Grand Slam title.
Determined to become the first woman since American great Serena Williams (2012-14) to defend her crown at Flushing Meadows, the Belarusian carried the weight of recent major setbacks to claim a 6-3, 7-6 (3) win over Amanda Anisimova in the final and retain her crown.
After final defeats at Melbourne and Paris, and a Wimbledon semifinal setback against Anisimova, Sabalenka turned all that disappointment into fuel, earning the right to show up to her news conference in party mode, goggles perched on her head and a bottle of champagne in hand.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.