Anisimova faces a fight with Sabalenka, the recent demon at the U.S. Open | U.S. Open Tennis 2025

oneManda Anisimova has struggled to keep her calm in the days ahead of the final Grand Slam of the year. As the American prepares for her first round, her high expectations become a huge pressure. In hindsight, this is different. “I think most players put a lot of pressure on themselves and in the days before the game, people were very stressed about it,” she said. “I feel it naturally.”

But on the eve of the U.S. Open, the situation surrounding Anisimova made her unique. The last time she appeared in the Grand Slam, Anisimova was 6-0 defeated 6-0, 6-0 in Wimbledon finals By Iga Swiatek. Wimbledon, after years of unfulfilled commitments, represents a long-awaited breakthrough that, in most cases, only took a positive step in her career, but it has come Her painful day On the Central Stadium, it is hard not to doubt whether such a humiliating moment will completely deviate from her progress.

So, Anisimova’s handling of these challenges is nothing more than that. In the next Grand Slam Championship, the 24-year-old competes for the Grand Slam title again when facing it, giving himself another chance Aryna Sabalenkathe world’s No. 1 and defending champion, was in the U.S. Open final on Saturday.

Anisimova’s talent was never doubted. She is one of the cleanest and most destructive ball shooters on the tour, with unparalleled timing and skills that allow her to catch the ball so early, change direction at will, and create huge steps on both times the ground, especially her extraordinary backhanded hands.

These skills are evident in her last few games, an exhibition of devastating offensive shooting. exist She defeated switkshe kept stealing time from the pole’s offensive weapons. Despite her nervousness a day later Naomi against Osakahow she changed the game was amazing, and it was another biggest hitter in the game in the baseline. Even though they were close to 1 a.m. after nearly three hours on the court, her hands remained steady at the end of the decisive moment and she never stopped attacking.

Anisimova has taken some huge psychological improvements to this point. Her mental health break for eight months In 2023, it has obviously played a major role in her growth, but overall, she has been working hard to maintain her calmness, nerves and self-confidence in the fight. Although some players are natural competitors, the road to Anisimova’s self-assurance needs to compete with the best players in the world has been long and daunting. She has spoken about receiving treatment, maintaining a positive outlook at all costs, and confiding with loved ones. Although she stressed the importance of moving forward from Wimbledon, she did not escape. Sometimes, humor can help. The night before beating Swiatek, she decided to watch Wimbledon’s failures for the first time to make sure she didn’t make the same mistake twice. What did she learn? “I’m very slow, then,” she said with a smile.

Although Anisimova has beaten the two most accomplished players in the game, the path is not easy. At the beginning of the breathless female semifinal Sabalenka closes Jessica Pegula In another high-quality game. Americans sometimes play as much as they can, but Sabalenka is brave in all the decisive moments, where she completely overwhelms Pegula.

In the process, the Belarusian maintained her lofty Grand Slam record. She is a three-time Grand Slam champion and has now reached the last six tough Grand Slam finals, with four in the finals. However, in those finals, she repeatedly collapsed under pressure, drowned by panic and fear. On Saturday, her shoulders will face greater pressure, which is her last chance to ensure her enormous effort actually constitutes the Grand Slam title this year.

Some players seem to attract each other in the tournament draw. This will mark the 10th meeting between Sabalenka and Anisimova, which is actually a favorable showdown for the American who has a head-to-head record of 6-3. Less than two months ago, the last time they competed against each other, Anisimova stood out The biggest win of her career In the Wimbledon semifinals. This time, for both players, the stakes are higher, as each of them tries to eliminate their nearest demons forever.