For defending US Open champion and world number one Aryna Sabalenka, 2025 had been a productive yet frustrating year—two losses in Slam finals, another in the semis, all of them three-set defeats at the hands of an inspired American. Facing Amanda Anisimova, who’d beaten her in the semis of Wimbledon, Sabalenka avenged that loss to earn a redemptive 6-3, 7-6 (3) victory. Largely absent were the emotional swings that have frequently surfaced during Sabalenka’s matches.

“Going into this final I decided for myself that I’m going to control my emotions,” she said after the final. “I’m not going to let them take control over me, and doesn’t matter what happens in the match.”

Another fascinating aspect was how Sabalenka’s rarely seen or even necessary defensive skills helped her repeatedly track down Anisimova’s powerful drives and eventually extract an error. And, per usual, she hit plenty of forceful shots. It all added up to a fourth major singles title. Not since Serena Williams’ 2012-14 three-peat has a woman successfully defended a US Open singles title.

To think that just over two years ago, Anisimova was out of tennis, taking college classes. But now, having reached two straight Grand Slam finals, Anisimova is right in the thick of the career she appeared on the path to having after winning the US Open junior title in 2017. Despite ending up one victory short of a first singles major, Anisimova’s US Open run was glorious. Decide for yourself which of her victories was more significant—a quarterfinal win over Iga Swiatek, who’d double-bageled her in the Wimbledon final; or a dramatic comeback versus Naomi Osaka in the semis.

She was also certainly glad to have competed more effectively in the final. “I’ve tried to turn everything around for myself,” said after the final. “Obviously today was better than my last final, but yeah, again, today was a really tough match.”

How well Anisimova builds off her two Slam runs will surely be one of the more fascinating storylines for the balance of 2025 and into ’26.

Playing her best day-in and day-out tennis since winning the 2021 Australian Open, Osaka’s resurgent run to the semis showcased a highly effective mix of power and poise. This was most notable during her Labor Day, round of 16 win over Coco Gauff. Greatly aided by her new coach, Tomasz Wiktorowski, Osaka throughout the tournament was both appropriately focused inside the lines and wise enough to view it with perspective and even humor.

Asked following her semifinal loss to Anisimova what her next Labubu doll would have been, Osaka said, “Oh, my God, the most devastating question. . . Honestly, I’m fine losing, but don’t ask me about this Labubu, man.”

As is the case for Anisimova, Osaka’s next six months intrigue.

Having not gone past the round of 16 at a major this season, it would hardly have been surprising to see Jessica Pegula eliminated early at the US Open. It didn’t go that way at all. Reaching the semis without the loss of a set, Pegula took out a pair of two-time Slam singles winners, Victoria Azarenka and Barbora Krejcikova. For the second year in a row, though, her New York campaign was ended by Sabalenka.

Following that match, Pegula said, “Considering where my summer started and how it was going, how it was trending, I’m happy to walk away with putting in the effort that I was able to put in tonight against, you know, the best player in the world right now.”

Week after week, akin to such accomplished grinders as David Ferrer and Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, Pegula continues to plug away and impress with her strong work ethic, clean ball-striking skills, and no-nonsense attitude towards competition.

Win A Slam, But Then Life is Tough

To win a major naturally increases expectations from all corners – including the player – that even more great results will happen. But the winners of this year’s first three majors all stumbled in the wake of capturing a big title.

In the three majors following her breakthrough run at the Australian Open champion, Madison Keys has only once reached the quarters (at Roland Garros) and in the first round of the US Open was beaten by 82nd-ranked Renata Zarazua.

“So I feel like it was a lot easier at the beginning of the year,” said Keys following that defeat, “because it’s the start of the year, everything is fresh. And now I feel like there’s been moments where you’ve been on the road longer, you’ve played a lot of matches, you haven’t had a lot of days off. Those are kind of the days where things are just a little bit harder.”

Coco Gauff’s big win in Paris was followed by a first round exit at Wimbledon and a round of 16 loss in New York.

“It’s been a tough I think post-French Open for me for sure,” said Gauff, “I know the improvements that I need to make, and I feel like I’m making the right decision by making them.”

Surprise Wimbledon titlist Iga Swiatek lost in the quarters of the US Open.

Do these post-Slam victory outcomes speak to the depth of women’s tennis? The technical, tactical, and mental limits of each of these great players? There’s no way to clearly answer either question. But certainly, it makes one even more impressed by such legends as Chrissie Evert, who won 18 Grand Slam singles titles, was runner-up another 16 times and reached the semis or better in 52 of the 56 majors she competed in. As for Sabalenka, she’s now made her way to the finals of four of her last five majors.