Aryna Sabalenka: I overcame my demons to win the US Open

Aryna Sabalenka sits once again as the dominant figure in women’s tennis after overcoming her demons to win a fourth grand slam title at the US Open.

The 27-year-old’s consistency at the majors is unmatched, with Sabalenka failing to reach the semi-finals just once in her last 12 appearances and making seven finals, including three this season.

But, until a 6-3 7-6 (3) victory over Amanda Anisimova at Flushing Meadows on Saturday, major question marks had resurfaced about Sabalenka’s ability to control her emotions.

Against Madison Keys in the Australian Open final and particularly Coco Gauff in the French Open decider, Sabalenka had let her desire to win overwhelm her and suffered heartbreaking losses both times, while she was beaten again by Anisimova in the semi-finals at Wimbledon.

It was on a beach in Greece, with neurosurgeon James Doty’s bestselling book Into the Magic Shop as her holiday reading, that Sabalenka vowed to change her approach.

“Going into this final I decided for myself that I’m going to control my emotions, I’m not going to let them take control over me,” said Sabalenka as she sat in the press conference room, champagne bottle in hand.

Sat in the stands in New York, meanwhile, has been a new member of her team, former doubles world number one Max Mirnyi, who has tried to add an extra piece or two to the jigsaw.

“I was very much aware of the very quick and determined rise to the top but, at the same time, the resistance that Aryna and the team were facing already being on top,” said Mirnyi, who like Sabalenka and her main coach Anton Dubrov is Belarusian.

“Going through the tournaments in Melbourne and Paris this year, in London, we spoke briefly. Obviously the expectations are very high for themselves and the expectation Aryna puts on herself. This is normal progression. It’s natural to have.

“We are here to embrace that in her and maybe remind once again the plaque that we get in front of getting out onto the Ashe court, that ‘Pressure is a Privilege,’ and what Billie Jean King says after that. She says, ‘champions adapt’.

“Aryna has shown to the world that she’s a great champion. She’s got plenty of tools.

“Me entering the team, it’s a delicate mission, because if I can only add one or two extra tools in her toolbox that she can operate with, I would consider my mission complete.”

The final was a battle between two of the biggest hitters in the game but Sabalenka tempered her power in favour of consistency and, crucially, kept her cool when Anisimova threatened to mount a second-set comeback.

“Not to disclose any of the secrets but one of my main starting lines entering the team and speaking sometimes to Aryna directly is relaying the message that there’s no such thing as a perfect tennis match,” added Mirnyi.

“There’s no such thing as perfection on a tennis court. You can take the best matches of (Novak) Djokovic and (Roger) Federer or Steffi Graf, there will always be some things that didn’t go according to plan and they’re the better champions that know how to respond and adjust on the go.”

Sabalenka, who has now successfully defended both US Open and Australian Open titles, finishes the tournament with a lead of more than 3,000 points in the rankings and a fresh swagger in her step.

Anisimova will make her top-four debut on Monday, having started the year outside 30 in the rankings but she could not hide how much another final loss hurt after her Wimbledon whitewash against Iga Swiatek.

This season has been by far Anisimova’s best in her career, though, and she looks certain to qualify for the season-ending WTA Finals for the first time.

“It was actually a goal of mine in the start of the year,” she said. “It was kind of far in the reach when I was starting off the year, but now I have a chance to qualify and play in it, so that’s really special.

“Of course I’m motivated and I hope I can keep working really hard to give myself more opportunities to be in more and more finals.”