Saturday, September 06, 2025

Eye of the Tigress


There are eight million stories in the naked city. And Aryna Sabalenka's successful U.S. Open title defense is now one of them.




For most of the last three seasons, Sabalenka has been the best women's tennis player in the world. And yet. For all the great moments she's produced between the lines on the sport's biggest stages, it's been her wobbles, (too) honest statements of fact that rankled sensitive feathers, frustrated moments in defeat (caught on camera), and a series of just-missed chances to further tighten what would be a vice-like grip on the top spot in the WTA tour hierarchy, that stand out in the mind's eye for many.

For all her success in majors -- six straight hard court slam finals (w/ 3 titles), QF runs in her last 12 slam appearances (11 of them SF+), four finals in the last five majors coming into today -- it's been Sabalenka's losses that have seemed to "count more."

The Belarussian has been an easy #1 (by historic standards) all season long, but that she'd somehow reached today's U.S. Open final -- her third straight in New York -- without having yet won a major title in '25 was clearly the first line in the chronicle of her season, with the second being the excruciating ways in which she'd come up short, losing twice in finals to U.S. women (vs. Madison Keys at the AO to miss out on a "three-peat," then Coco Gauff at RG, after having lost to her in the U.S. final two years ago), and in the semis to another (Amanda Anisimova at Wimbledon), each time in three sets. Most every time with a key moment or two being the difference between second place (or less) and putting together one of the most dominant stretches in tennis history.

After finally getting past a U.S. woman in a three-setter in the latter stages of a '25 major (Jessie Pegula in the semis, a year after beating her in the final), Sabalenka naturally was tasked with playing *another* in the final -- Anisimova, again -- in order to finally exorcise what might be considered the personal slam demons that have hung over her head all season long.

Speaking of personal tennis demons, Anisimova knows all about them. She's comes through to "the other side" of her own battles, both off court in recent years and *on* it in recent weeks.

A slam semifinalist at age 17 in 2019, Anisimova walked away from tennis for a time a few years later, recognizing the signs of burnout and hating what had become her existence on the unending tennis tour. Since returning in 2024, a newly-appreciative and centered version of Anisimova has steadily reclimbed the tennis mountain, this season winning her biggest title (Doha 1000), cracking the Top 10 and reaching her maiden slam final at Wimbledon.

That final didn't go as planned, as Anisimova was overwhelmed and lost love & love to Iga Swiatek, the first major final double-bagel in 37 years. But just as she did when she returned from her mental break, Anisimova went back at it all with a clear(er) head at this U.S. Open, not only reaching her second straight major final, but going through Iga Swiatek (via a straight sets QF win) and two-time Open winner Naomi Osaka (SF) to do it.

Standing in the way of the #8 seed completing her journey with her first major title was #1-ranked Sabalenka, who had one last chance to right all her 2025 "wrongs" in the span of a few hours in a single afternoon in New York City.



Once play started, though Sabalenka took an immediate 30/love lead on serve, it didn't take long for Anisimova to begin to impose the power of her big, flat groundstrokes on the course of the proceedings, with her shots often arriving quickly enough to knock Sabalenka off balance from her place on the baseline. Her big returns quickly put her in the mix in the opening game, as she held three BP in all. But Sabalenka managed to get the hold, then broke Anisimova's serve to take a 2-0 edge.

Surging back after Sabalenka took another 30/love lead in game 3, Anisimova began what would be her best stretch of the opening set. Firing winners down both sidelines to end back-to-back points, she broke serve to get on the board (so, no Wimbledon repeat) the held to even things at 2-all.

But the returners edged ahead in the middle of the set, breaking in four of six games as Anisimova's big return shots immediately allowed her to seize control of rallies (breaking Sabalenka for a 3-2 lead), then Sabalenka responded with a big return game of her own. Taking a love/40 lead in game 6, a deep Sabalenka return produced an error off Anisimova's racket that knotted the score again.

With Sabalenka now more used to Anisimova's power shots coming back at her as fast or hard(er) as her own groundstrokes fired at opponents, and with the Bannerette's errors increasing down the stretch of the set, Anisimova's frustrations grew (several times she complained to her coaching box about her service toss getting lost in the lights beneath the closed Ashe court roof) as Sabalenka surged back ahead.

Taking a 15/40 lead on Anisimova's serve in game 8, Sabalenka broke for a 5-3 lead when the Bannerette sprayed a backhand (making the world #1 3-for-3 in converting BP in the set). Serving for the 1st, Sabalenka made quick work of her service game and took the opener at 6-3.

Anisimova struggled to hold her serve in the first game of the 2nd, DF'ing twice on GP before finally holding on her fourth. Two games later, Sabalenka took a 15/40 lead on return, and fired a backhand pass on BP #2 to break and lead 2-1. She held for 3-1.

Two games later, a Sabalenka DF put her down love/40, and Anisimova's backhand winner put the set back on serve, but Sabalenka struck right back a game later, breaking with a big return and Anisimova error to regain her break lead at 4-3. After an Anisimova hold, Sabalenka served for the title at 5-4.

Down love/30, Sabalenka couldn't afford to allow Anisimova to jump on a weak second serve, so she fired off a 97 mph shot and got her on the board in the game, followed by a forehand winner to reach 30/30. But with the title just two points away, Sabalenka netted a falling-away overhead in the middle of the court, giving Anisimova a BP and revving the Ashe Stadium crowd. The Bannerette got the break to tie the set at 5-5, then held for 6-5.

Sabalenka followed suit to force a TB, likely carrying along with her the confidence of a 20-1 season mark in breakers and Open era women's record of 18 straight TB wins.

As has been the case all season, Sabalenka settled into a bigger, riskier and more successful mode in the appreviated contest, finally grabbing the edge with a mini-break of the Anisimova serve to close out a rally in which she fired off multiple concussive groundstrokes that even Anisimova couldn't match. She led 3-1, then an Anisimova DF made it 4-1, digging the hole still deeper.

Using her serve and forehand power to sweep her own two service points, Sabalenka extended her lead to 6-1, with five straight MP opportunities to defend her title. After Anisimova held two points, Sabalenka got the chance to serve it out. Another big serve forced a long return, ending the 7-3 TB and giving Sabalenka a 6-3/7-6(3) victory to seal her fourth career major title and second straight at the U.S. Open. She's the first to successfully defend the women's championship at Flushing Meadows since 2014 (S.Williams).



While Anisimova rises to a career-high #4 on the back of consecutive slam runner-up results, her summer of successful learning (titles or no titles) how to surf the waves of grand slam tennis, keeping her game and emotions "in the pocket" while never getting *too* high or *too* low, should serve her well into the future.



Many players would have recoiled from such a maiden slam final performance in embarrassment, self-flagellation and with a loss of confidence after failing to win a game in the Wimbledon final, with their results regressing and needing to regroup before (maybe) a next big stage run at a major title (if it ever came). Anisimova went and reached *another* slam final two months later. "Siri, when is a 'win' not *technically* a 'win?'

Back where she belongs and finally lifting a major trophy for the first time in twelve months, Sabalenka (39-2 in hard court slams the last three years, with four titles) should have no problem differentiating a "W" from anything that might -- or might not -- resemble as much.

At the conclusion of another long slam season, as far as Sabalenka is concerned, the defense has rested.











=DAY 14 NOTES=
...Yui Kamiji has spent a lot of years putting up great results in majors, then having to smile and watch someone else (usually Diede de Groot) bask in the spotlight and lift the big trophy after the final.

There was a time when Kamiji was *the* top player in the women's roller game in the post-Vergeer era, reaching #1 and winning three singles majors in 2017, as well as a boatload on the doubles side that made her one of the most successful players in wheelchair tennis history.

But then de Groot happened. The coming of the Dutch star was forecast well in advance, but her dominance proved even more overwhelming than anticipated. From the start of the 2018 season through 2024, de Groot claimed 22 of 26 slam singles titles, and 18 in doubles. She won 145 straight singles matches from 2021-24, including 28 straight vs. Kamiji, against whom she went 16-2 in slam finals. De Groot claimed 15 consecutive slam singles titles, and won six straight crowns in New York, w/ four-in-a-row streaks at each of the other three majors.

Meanwhile, Kamiji (who had streaks of 74 and 46 straight wins of her own vs. *non-de Groot* competition during that 145-match run), even as she got close to big wins, perfected the "I'm so happy for you" smile at the net after de Groot converted another MP and celebrated yet again.

Then, after Kamiji upset de Groot in the Paralympics final on home soil in Tokyo last summer, de Groot ended her season early to have a previously scheduled surgery on her hip. Since then, while the top two Chinese women (Li Xiaohui and Wang Ziying) have produced first-ever title runs in the '25 majors (winning three as a doubles duo, and Wang taking the Wimbledon singles), Kamiji re-assumed the #1 ranking in de Groot's absence, and has yet to lose to her since her return to action this spring. In this week's QF, Kamiji won her fourth straight match over her longtime rival in the past year.

After having lost to Wang in the Wimbledon final (in her first SW19 singles final, she'd been playing to equal de Groot as the only women to win all eight major titles plus s/d Paralympic Gold), today Kamiji had the chance to claim her third major title of the season (at 31, tying her career-best '17 mark at age 23) in a final match-up vs. the *other* rising Chinese star, Li.

After losing the 1st set at love, Kamiji rebounded to get a 0-6/6-1/6-3 win to claim her 11th career slam singles title (33rd s/d overall) in her 31st major singles final (71st overall). The only women who have won more are Hall of Famer Esther Vergeer and de Groot.



The script *could* be flipped back in 2026 with de Groot perhaps back to being 100% and reclaiming her past dominance. But, for 2025, there has been no one better on the women's wheelchair tour than Kamiji. Again.



...in the juniors, 14th-seeded Jeline Vandromme defeated Swedish qualifier Lea Nilsson 7-6(2)/6-2 to become the first Belgian to win a girls' singles slam since 2011 (An-Sophie Mestach) and the first to do it in New York since 2003 (Kirsten Flipkens).

With her six-match run this week, 17-year old Vandromme has now won her last 23 singles matches (w/ a 17-0 pro run at the ITF level this summer during which she won three straight titles).



Sisters Alena & Jana Kovackova denied Vandromme (w/ Naima Vladson) the s/d sweep, winning the girls' doubles final 6-2/6-2.

Alena, 17, previously won the '23 Wimbledon GD, but 15-year old Jana joins anew the lengthening list of Czech Crushers who've claimed junior slams the last few years. Since the start of 2021, singles titles have been claimed by Linda Noskova, Lucie Havlickova and Tereza Valentova, while doubles wins have come from Valentova, Havlickova, Sara Bejlek, Laura Samson, Vendula Valdmannova and now both Kovackovas.

The sisters are the first all-Czech duo to win the U.S. Open since Krejcikova/Siniakova in 2013.










*WOMEN'S SINGLES FINAL*
#1 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR def. #8 Amanda Anisimova/USA 6-3/7-6(3)

*WOMEN'S DOUBLES FINAL*
#3 Dabrowski/Routliffe (CAN/NZL) def. #1 Siniakova/Townsend (CZE/USA) 6-4/6-4

*MIXED DOUBLES FINAL*
(WC) Errani/Vavassori (ITA/ITA) def. #3 Swiatek/Ruud (POL/NOR) 6-3/5-7 [10-6]

*GIRLS SINGLES FINAL*
#14 Jeline Vandromme/BEL def. (Q) Lea Nilsson/SWE 7-6(2)/6-2

*GIRLS DOUBLES FINAL*
#3 Kovackova/Kovackova (CZE/CZE) def. #4 Vandromme/Vladson (BEL/LTU) 6-2/6-2

*WHEELCHAIR SINGLES FINAL*
#1 Yui Kamiji/JPN def. #3 Li Xiaohui/CHN 0-6/6-1/6-3

*WHEELCHAIR DOUBLES FINAL*
#2 Li/Wang (CHN/CHN) def. de Groot/Zhu (NED/CHN) 6-4/7-6(4)

*WHEELCHAIR JUNIOR SINGLES FINAL*
Sabina Czauz/USA def. #2 Luna Gryp/BEL 7-5/6-2

*WHEELCHAIR JUNIOR DOUBLES FINAL*
Czauz/Matsuoka (USA/JPN) def. Heald/Porges (USA/GER) 6-0/6-1









...FOR GOOD REASON, MARY CARILLO HAS BEEN CRITICIZED FOR HOW SHE HANDLED THE POST-FINAL CEREMONY INTERVIEWS (cutting off the players, rushing through, etc.), BUT... ON DAY 14:


...I think the majority of the on-court interviews at this Open have been horrendous, largely conducted by people I've never seen before in my life and consisting of probing questions such as, "How did you do that?" or "How does that (winning) make you feel?"

ESPN has a full roster of people who could have/would have done a better job, from Mary Joe Fernandez to Pam Shriver (within reason), and even part-timer Sloane Stephens.

Instead, the USTA went decidedly "bland," and then when they did the opposite, well, Carillo was a little TOO Carillo-like for the assignment. Someone needed to find Petko and drag her onto the court.


...FIRST TO REPEAT SINCE (well, you know the drill)... ON DAY 14:





...NOT A *TRUE* "WTA TITLE," BUT THE EXCITEMENT IS UNDERSTOOD AND APPRECIATED... ON DAY 14:


Alex Eala claimed the WTA 125 event that was completed in Guadalajara on Saturday.




...YES, THIS IS NORMAL. So normal... ON DAY 14:





...ADDING 'EM UP... ON DAY 14:





...PARTING WORDS... ON DAY 14:












kosova-font

*RECENT WOMEN'S SLAM WINNERS*
2022 AO: Ash Barty, AUS
2022 RG: Iga Swiatek, POL
2022 WI: Elena Rybakina, KAZ*
2022 US: Iga Swiatek, POL
2023 AO: Aryna Sabalenka, BLR*
2023 RG: Iga Swiatek, POL
2023 WI: Marketa Vondrousova, CZE*
2023 US: Coco Gauff, USA*
2024 AO: Aryna Sabalenka, BLR
2024 RG: Iga Swiatek, POL
2024 WI: Barbora Krejcikova, CZE
2024 US: Aryna Sabalenka, BLR
2025 AO: Madison Keys, USA*
2025 RG: Coco Gauff, USA
2025 WI: Iga Swiatek, POL
2025 US: Aryna Sabalenka, BLR
--
* - first-time slam champ

*AGE OF 2020s SLAM WINNERS*
18 = Emma Raducanu, GBR (2021 US)
19 = Iga Swiatek, POL (2020 RG)
19 = Coco Gauff, USA (2023 US)
21 = Iga Swiatek, POL (2022 RG)
21 = Sofia Kenin, USA (2020 AO)
21 = Coco Gauff, USA (2025 RG)
21 = Iga Swiatek, POL (2022 US)
22 = Iga Swiatek, POL (2023 RG)
22 = Naomi Osaka, JPN (2020 US)
23 = Iga Swiatek, POL (2024 RG)
23 = Naomi Osaka, JPN (2021 AO)
23 = Elena Rybakina, KAZ (2022 WI)
24 = Aryna Sabalenka, BLR (2023 AO)
24 = Marketa Vondrouosva, CZE (2023 WI)
24 = Iga Swiatek, POL (2025 WI)
25 = Ash Barty, AUS (2021 WI)
25 = Ash Barty, AUS (2022 AO)
25 = Barbora Krejcikova, CZE (2021 RG)
25 = Aryna Sabalenka, BLR (2024 AO)
26 = Aryna Sabalenka, BLR (2024 US)
27 = Aryna Sabalenka, BLR (2025 US)
28 = Barbora Krejcikova, CZE (2024 WI)
29 = Madison Keys, USA (2025 AO)

*RECENT WOMEN'S U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONS*
2012 Serena Williams, USA
2013 Serena Williams, USA
2014 Serena Williams, USA
2015 Flavia Pennetta, ITA
2016 Angelique Kerber, GER
2017 Sloane Stephens, USA
2018 Naomi Osaka, JPN
2019 Bianca Andreescu, CAN
2020 Naomi Osaka, JPN
2021 Emma Raducanu, GBR
2022 Iga Swiatek, POL
2023 Coco Gauff, USA
2024 Aryna Sabalenka, BLR
2025 Aryna Sabalenka, BLR

*U.S. OPEN DEFENDING CHAMP RESULTS - OPEN ERA*
1968 Virginia Wade (SF)
1969 Margaret Smith-Court (W)
1970 Margaret Smith-Court (DNP; SF in '72)
1971 Billie Jean King (W)
1972 Billie Jean King (3rd Rd.)
1973 Margaret Smith-Court (DNP; QF in '75)
1974 Billie Jean King (DNP; QF in '77)
1975 Chris Evert (W)
1976 Chris Evert (W)
1977 Chris Evert (W)
1978 Chris Evert (RU)
1979 Tracy Austin (SF)
1980 Chris Evert-Lloyd (SF)
1981 Tracy Austin (QF)
1982 Chris Evert-Lloyd (RU)
1983 Martina Navratilova (W)
1984 Martina Navratilova (RU)
1985 Hana Mandlikova (4th Rd.)
1986 Martina Navratilova (W)
1987 Martina Navratilova (QF)
1988 Steffi Graf (W)
1989 Steffi Graf (RU)
1990 Gabriela Sabatini (QF)
1991 Monica Seles (W)
1992 Monica Seles (DNP-stabbing; RU in '95)
1993 Steffi Graf (RU)
1994 Arantxa Sanchez Vicario (4th Rd.)
1995 Steffi Graf (W)
1996 Steffi Graf (DNP; 4th Rd. in '98)
1997 Martina Hingis (RU)
1998 Lindsay Davenport (SF)
1999 Serena Williams (QF)
2000 Venus Williams (W)
2001 Venus Williams (RU)
2002 Serena Williams (DNP; QF in '04)
2003 Justine Henin-Hardenne (4th Rd.)
2004 Svetlana Kuznetsova (1st Rd.)
2005 Kim Clijsters (DNP; W in '09)
2006 Maria Sharapova (3rd Rd.)
2007 Justine Henin (DNP; retired)
2008 Serena Williams (SF)
2009 Kim Clijsters (W)
2010 Kim Clijsters (DNP; 2nd Rd. in '12)
2011 Samantha Stosur (QF)
2012 Serena Williams (W)
2013 Serena Williams (W)
2014 Serena Williams (SF)
2015 Flavia Pennetta (DNP; retired)
2016 Angelique Kerber (1st Rd.)
2017 Sloane Stephens (QF)
2018 Naomi Osaka (4th Rd.)
2019 Bianca Andreescu (DNP; 4th Rd. in '21)
2020 Naomi Osaka (3rd Rd.)
2021 Emma Raducanu (1st Rd.)
2022 Iga Swiatek (4th Rd.)
2023 Coco Gauff (4th Rd.)
2024 Aryna Sabalenka (W)

*RECENT U.S. OPEN TOP SEEDS*
2010 Caroline Wozniacki, DEN (SF)
2011 Caroline Wozniacki, DEN (SF)
2012 Victoria Azarenka, BLR (RU)
2013 Serena Williams, USA (W)
2014 Serena Williams, USA (W)
2015 Serena Williams, USA (SF)
2016 Serena Williams, USA (SF)
2017 Karolina Pliskova, CZE (QF)
2018 Simona Halep, ROU (1st)
2019 Naomi Osaka, JPN (4th)
2020 Karolina Pliskova, CZE (2nd)
2021 Ash Barty, AUS (3rd)
2022 Iga Swiatek, POL (W)
2023 Iga Swiatek, POL (4th)
2024 Iga Swiatek, POL (QF)
2025 Aryna Sabalenka, BLR (W)

*2025 WTA SINGLES TITLES*
4 - ARYNA SABALENKA, BLR = 1 GS, 2 1000, 1 500
3 - Jessie Pegula, USA = 2 500, 1 250
2 - Mirra Andreeva, RUS = 2 1000
2 - Maya Joint, AUS = 2 250
2 - McCartney Kessler, USA = 2 250
2 - Madison Keys, USA = 1 GS, 1 500
2 - Elise Mertens, BEL = 2 250
2 - Iga Swiatek, POL = 1 GS, 1 1000
[2020-25]
24 - 1/2/8/6/5/2 = Iga Swiatek
16 - 3/2/0/3/4/4 = ARYNA SABALENKA
9 - 0/1/0/4/3/1 = Coco Gauff
8 - 1/5/2 = Ash Barty (ret.)
8 - 0/3/2/2/1/0 = Barbora Krejcikova
8 - 0/0/1/2/2/3 = Jessie Pegula
8 - 1/0/1/2/3/1 = Elena Rybakina
6 - 0/2/2/0/2/0 = Dasha Kasatkina
6 - 0/1/1/1/2/1 = Alona Ostapenko

*MOST WTA FINALS in 2025*
8 - ARYNA SABALENKA (4-4)
5 - Jessie Pegula (3-2)
4 - AMANDA ANISIMOVA (1-3)
3 - McCartney Kessler (2-1)
3 - Elise Mertens (2-1)
3 - Iga Swiatek (2-1)
3 - Coco Gauff (1-2)

*U.S. OPEN WHEELCHAIR CHAMPIONS*
[singles]
2005 Esther Vergeer, NED
2006 Esther Vergeer, NED
2007 Esther Vergeer, NED
2008 --
2009 Esther Vergeer, NED
2010 Esther Vergeer, NED
2011 Esther Vergeer, NED
2012 --
2013 Aniek van Koot, NED
2014 Yui Kamiji, JPN
2015 Jordanne Whiley, GBR
2016 --
2017 Yui Kamiji, JPN
2018 Diede de Groot, NED
2019 Diede de Groot, NED
2020 Diede de Groot, NED
2021 Diede de Groot, NED
2022 Diede de Groot, NED
2023 Diede de Groot, NED
2024 --
2025 Yui Kamiji, JPN
--
NOTE: event not held in 2008/12/16/24 (Paralympics)

*WHEELCHAIR SLAM SINGLES TITLES*
[AO-RG-WI-US]
23 - Diede de Groot, NED [6-5-6-6]*
21 - Esther Vergeer, NED [9-6-x-6]
11 - YUI KAMIJI, JPN [3-5-0-3]*
4 - Jiske Griffioen, NED [2-1-1-0]*

*WHEELCHAIR SLAM TITLES*
[singles/doubles]
42 - Esther Vergeer, NED (21/21)
42 - Diede de Groot, NED (23/19)*
33 - YUI KAMIJI, JPN (11/22)*
27 - Aniek Van Koot, NED (3/24)*
20 - Jiske Griffioen, NED (4/16)*

*ALL-TIME WC SLAM TITLES (M+W)*
50 - Shingo Kunieda, JPN (28/22)
42 - Esther Vergeer, NED (21/21)
42 - Diede de Groot, NED (23/19)*
33 - Alfie Hewett, GBR (10/23)*
33 - YUI KAMIJI, JPN (11/22)*
29 - Gordon Reid, GBR (2/27)*
27 - Aniek Van Koot, NED (3/24)*

*RECENT U.S. OPEN GIRLS SINGLES CHAMPIONS*
2017 Amanda Anisimova/USA
2018 Wang Xiyu/CHN
2019 Maria (Camila Osorio) Serrano/COL
2020 DNP
2021 Robin Montgomery/USA
2022 Alex Eala/PHI
2023 Katherine Hui/USA
2024 Mika Stojsavljevic/GBR
2025 Jeline Vandromme/BEL

*RECENT U.S. OPEN GIRLS DOUBLES CHAMPIONS*
2016 Jada Myii Hart / Ena Shibahara, USA/USA
2017 Olga Danilovic / Marta Kostyuk, SRB/UKR
2018 Coco Gauff / Caty McNally, USA
2019 Kamilla Bartone / Oksaka Selekhmeteva, LAT/RUS
2020 DNP
2021 Ashlyn Krueger / Robin Montgomery, USA/USA
2022 Lucie Havlickova / Diana Shnaider, CZE/RUS
2023 Mara Gae / Anastasiia Gureva, ROU/RUS
2024 Malak El Allami / Emily Sartz-Lunde, MAR/NOR
2025 Alena Kovackova / Jana Kovackova, CZE/CZE

*RECENT GIRLS SLAM CHAMPIONS*
[2020]
AO: Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva, AND
RG: Elsa Jacquemot, FRA
[2021]
RG: Linda Noskova, CZE
WI: Ane Mintegi del Olmo, ESP
US: Robin Montgomery, USA
[2022]
AO: Petra Marcinko, CRO
RG: Lucie Havlickova, CZE
WI: Liv Hovde, USA
US: Alex Eala, PHI
[2023]
AO: Alina Korneeva, RUS
RG: Alina Korneeva, RUS
WI: Clervie Ngounoue, USA
US: Katherine Hui, USA
[2024]
AO: Renata Jamrichova, SVK
RG: Tereza Valentova, CZE
WI: Renata Jamrichova, SVK
US: Mika Stojsavljevic, GBR
[2025]
AO: Wakana Sonobe, JPN
RG: Lilli Tagger, AUT
WI: Mia Pohankova, SVK
US: Jeline Vandromme, BEL

*JUNIOR SLAM CHAMPIONS - BELGIUM*
1947 WI: Genevieve Domken
1949 WI: Christiane Mercelis
1993 WI: Nancy Feber
1997 RG: Justine Henin
2003 WI: Kirsten Flipkens
2003 US: Kirsten Flipkens
2011 AO: An-Sophie Mestach
2025 US: Jeline Vandromme

*RECENT GIRLS DOUBLES SLAM CHAMPIONS*
[2022]
AO: Clervie Ngounoue/Diana Shnaider (USA/RUS)
RG: Sara Bejlek/Lucie Havlickova (CZE/CZE)
WI: Rose Marie Nijkamp/Angella Okutoyi (NED/KEN)
US: Lucie Havlickova/Diana Shnaider (CZE/RUS)
[2023]
AO: Renata Jamrichova/Federica Urgesi (SVK/ITA)
RG: Tyra Caterina Grant/Clervie Ngounoue (USA/USA)
WI: Alena Kovackova/Laura Samsonova (CZE/CZE)
US: Mara Gae/Anastasiia Gureva (ROU/RUS)
[2024]
AO: Tyra Caterina Grant/Iva Jovic (USA/USA)
RG: Renata Jamrichova/Tereza Valentova (SVK/CZE)
WI: Tyra Caterina Grant/Iva Jovic (USA/USA)
US: Malak El Allami/Emily Sartz-Lunde (MAR/NOR)
[2025]
AO: Annika Penickova/Kristina Penickova (USA/USA)
RG: Eva Bennemann/Sonja Zhenikova (GER/GER)
WI: Kristina Penickova/Vendula Valdmannova (USA/CZE)
US: Alena Kovackova/Jana Kovackova (CZE/CZE)

*RECENT U.S. OPEN "JUNIOR BREAKOUT" WINNERS*
2017 Maria Lourdes Carle, ARG & Emiliana Arango, COL
2018 Dasha Lopatetska, UKR
2019 Oksana Selekhmeteva, RUS
2020 [under 18] Katrina Scott, USA
2021 Robin Montgomery, USA
2022 Alex Eala, PHI
2023 Katherine Hui, USA
2024 Mika Stojsavljevic, GBR & Mimi Xu, GBR
2025 Jeline Vandromme, BEL

*RECENT U.S. OPEN "IT" WINNERS*
2017 [Jr. Wild Card] Coco Gauff, USA
2018 [Court] (new) Louis Armstrong Stadium
2019 [Canadian] Bianca Andreescu, CAN
2020 [Champion Moms] Vera Zvonareva/RUS and Jordanne Whiley/GBR
2021 [Teens] Leylah Fernandez/CAN and Emma Raducanu/GBR
2022 [Diede Slam] Diede de Groot, NED [WC]
2023 [Summer of...] Coco Gauff, USA
2024 [Bannerette Teen] Iva Jovic, USA
2025 [Crusher Sisters] Alena & Jana Kovackova, CZE

*RECENT U.S. OPEN "Ms. OPPORTUNITY" WINNERS*
2015 Roberta Vinci, ITA
2016 Anastasija Sevastova, LAT
2017 All-Bannerette SF: Keys,Stephens,Vandeweghe,V.Williams
2018 Naomi Osaka, JPN and Anastasija Sevastova, LAT
2019 Belinda Bencic, SUI
2020 Laura Siegemund & Vera Zvonareva, GER/RUS
2021 Diede de Groot, NED [WC Golden Slam]
2022 Ons Jabeur, TUN
2023 Diede de Groot, NED [WC Grand Slam x 3]
2024 Jessie Pegula, USA and Emma Navarro, USA
2025 Yui Kamiji, JPN [WC]





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TOP QUALIFIER: Janice Tjen, INA
TOP EARLY-ROUND (1r-2r): Emma Raducanu/GBR
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): #23 Naomi Osaka/JPN
TOP LATE-ROUND (SF-F): #1 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q2: Dominika Salkova/CZE def. Kristina Dmitruk/BLR 6-3/5-7/7-6(10-8) - saved 4 MP on serve at 6-5 in the 3rd, then trailed 4-1 in MTB
TOP EARLY-RD. MATCH (1r-2r): 1st Rd. - Alex Eala/PHI def. #14 Clara Tauson/DEN 6-3/2-6/7-6(13-11) - comeback from 5-1 down in 3rd; first PHI w/ GS MD win
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): 4th Rd. - Barbora Krejcikova/CZE def. Taylor Townsend/USA 1-6/7-6(13)/6-3 - saves 8 MP
TOP LATE-RD. MATCH (SF-F): SF - #8 Amanda Anismova/USA def. #23 Naomi Osaka/JPN 6-7(4)/7-6(3)/6-3 - reached 2nd con. slam F; ends Osaka career 13-0 run in major QF+
=============================
FIRST VICTORY: Polina Kudermetova/RUS (def. Parrizas Diaz/ESP, ret. after 2-2 in 1st set)
FIRST SEED OUT: #24 Veronika Kudermetova/RUS (1r, lost to qualifier Tjen/INA)
FIRST CAREER SLAM MD WINS: Alex Eala/PHI (3rd GS MD), Polina Kudermetova/RUS (5th MD) and Janice Tjen/INA (1st MD)
PROTECTED RANKING MD WINS: Sorana Cirstea/ROU (2nd Rd.)
LUCKY LOSER MD WINS: no LL in MD
UPSET QUEENS: Asia (seeded upsets by Tjen/INA, Eala/PHI; Uchijima saved 7 MP vs. Danilovic)
REVELATION LADIES: Russia (10-3 1r; first slam MD W by P.Kudermetova, and first US wins by Blinkova and Zakharova)
NATION OF POOR SOULS: China (1-5 1st Rd.; 0-5 start; Zheng Qinwen DNP)
CRASH & BURN: #6 Madison Keys/USA (AO champ loses 1r to Zarazua; second US 1r exit in 12 years)
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF NEW YORK: Moyuka Uchijima/JPN (1r- saved 7 MP, down triple MP twice vs. Danilovic)
IT ("Crusher Sisters"): Alena Kovackova/Jana Kovackova, CZE/CZE
Ms.OPPORTUNITY: Yui Kamiji/JPN
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: Priscilla Hon/AUS (3rd Rd.)
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: Caty McNally/USA (2nd Rd.)
LAST BANNERETTE STANDING: Amanda Anisimova (RU)
COMEBACK: Naomi Osaka/JPN
VETERAN PLAYER (KIMIKO CUP): Barbora Krejcikova/CZE
DOUBLES STAR: Li Xiaohui/Wang Ziying, CHN/CHN (WC)
BIG APPLE BANNERETTE BREAKTHROUGH: Taylor Townsend/USA
BROADWAY-BOUND: "Naomi Osaka presents 'Labubus Take New York'"
LADY OF THE EVENING: Maria Sharapova ("Exquisitely Back in the City," received Hall of Fame ring on Ashe 19 years after won title there)
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: Jeline Vandromme/BEL







All for Day 14. Wrap-up tomorrow.

posted by Todd.Spiker @ 10:30 PM 

2 Comments:

Blogger khan35 said...

It would have been a bad look for women's tennis, if Sabalenka had gone slamless for the year and ended up being year end #1 ranked player. Thanks Tennis Gods that she finally won a major this year. Sabalenka could have won Calendar year slams this year.

Sun Sep 07, 04:08:00 AM EDT  
Blogger Todd.Spiker said...

It probably *shouldn't* have looked bad, as it shows the depth at the top (unlike the men's tour)... but it would have been seen that way, for sure.

Sun Sep 07, 08:21:00 PM EDT  

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