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NEW YORK: Aryna Sabalenka did not make many mistakes — well, until near the end — despite not sacrificing any power, and outplayed Amanda Anisimova for a 6-3, 7-6 (3) victory in the US Open final Saturday, making her the first woman to win the tournament in consecutive years since Serena Williams more than a decade ago.
The No. 1-ranked Sabalenka picked up the fourth Grand Slam title of her career, all on hard courts. This was not all smooth sailing, though.
Sabalenka twice led by a break in the second set, and served for the win at 5-4. But at 30-all, so close to the trophy, she had a chance to hit an overhead and get to match point. Instead, while backpedaling, Sabalenka put the ball into the net, giving Anisimova a break chance.
After that excruciating miss, Sabalenka dropped her racket on the blue court and smiled a rueful smile. A moment later, Anisimova — a 24-year-old American — converted the break to get to 5-all and shook her left fist while 24,000 or so of her closest friends in Arthur Ashe Stadium rose to applaud and shout.
Ah, but 15 minutes after the flub, Sabalenka was kneeling on the court and covering her face with both hands, coming through on her third match point.
She avoided becoming the first woman to lose three major finals in a single season since Justine Henin in 2006. 

Sabalenka, a 27-year-old from Belarus, was the runner-up to Madison Keys at the Australian Open in January and to Coco Gauff at the French Open. Then, at Wimbledon in July, Sabalenka was eliminated by Anisimova.
That put Anisimova into her first major final, which she lost 6-0, 6-0 to Iga Swiatek.
But Anisimova put that shutout behind her immediately, well enough to win a rematch against Swiatek in the US Open quarterfinals.
When Anisimova trailed Sabalenka 2-0, 30-love as Saturday’s match began, some fans might have wondered: There’s no way there’s going to be a repeat of the final at the All England Club, right?
Right.
Anisimova grabbed the next four points to break back, capping the game with a backhand winner and a forehand winner. That got the partisan fans up on their feet, shouting, and Anisimova exhaled as she walked to the sideline and wiped sweat from her forehead.
Soon, she led 3-2. But Sabalenka took the next four games and that set.
It began pouring before the match, so Ashe’s artificial lights were on, and its retractable roof was shut. That appeared to be a distraction at times to Anisimova, who motioned to her team in the stands that something was bothering her during ball tosses for serves.
The setup also created windless conditions, ideal for two ball-strikers who really can bring the power with good contact. And that’s what they both did from the start, striking speedy serves and deep groundstrokes with so much pace that responding was never simple.
Some exchanges were breathtaking — to them, certainly, and to spectators who gasped at the power during longer points.
Both are aggressive during back-and-forths and rarely are risk-averse. The rewards can be huge, as can the mistakes, and Anisimova was seeking the lines with full cuts off both sides.
Of Sabalenka’s first 13 points, which helped her claim the initial two games, just one came via her own winner. The other dozen arrived thanks to Anisimova’s six unforced errors and six forced errors.

NEW YORK: Reigning champion Jannik Sinner expects another “special” occasion when he plays Carlos Alcaraz for the men’s US Open title after the Italian reached his fifth successive Grand Slam final on Friday.

Sinner beat Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 and is chasing a fifth career major after joining Rod Laver, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic as the only men to reach all four Grand Slam finals in a season.

“I think five straight Grand Slam finals, it’s something great. The consistency and putting myself there in the later stages of the biggest tournaments we have, it’s amazing,” said Sinner.

“I would have never thought that I would make this when I turned pro, and now I find myself here.”

His world No. 1 ranking will be at stake on Sunday when he faces Alcaraz for the third consecutive Grand Slam final.

Sinner, 24, captured the Australian Open and Wimbledon titles this season but lost to the 22-year-old Alcaraz in an epic five-set battle at the French Open.

“On court we like to see each other, you know, because it means that considering our ranking, it means that we are doing well in the tournament,” said Sinner.

They will meet at the US Open for the second time. Their first encounter in the 2022 quarter-finals was a seismic battle that has come to shape their rivalry.

“Sunday is a very special day and an amazing final again,” said Sinner. “I feel like our rivalry started here playing an amazing match. We are two different players now, with different confidence too.”

Three years ago, it was Alcaraz who prevailed after a 5hr 15min marathon that finished just before 3 a.m. in New York, with the Spaniard going on to lift his maiden Grand Slam at that tournament.

Sinner is looking to catch Alcaraz on Sunday by collecting his fifth major. Much of that success has been built on the back of 27 straight Grand Slam match wins on hard courts.

He is aiming to become the first man to successfully defend the US Open crown since Federer won the last of five consecutive titles in 2008.

Canada’s Auger-Aliassime was trying to reach his first Grand Slam final after making the last four for the first time since his run to the same stage in New York in 2021.

“I don’t have regrets. I played my way. I played my game. You know, you kind of live and die with your choices,” said Auger-Aliassime.