US OPEN

September 6, 2025

Aryna Sabalenka

Press Conference

A. SABALENKA/A. Anisimova

6-3, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: First of all, congratulations. Magnificent tournament. Very well done. In the interest of time, we're going to go right to the questions. The first question we have is from a very special correspondent representing the US Open Lemonade Stand. Emery has the first question.

ARYNA SABALENKA: Oh, hi, Beauty. I think we -- no, we haven't done, or we've done interview together, no?

Q. Yeah, we have.

ARYNA SABALENKA: I remember you.

Q. Hi, Aryna. Congratulations. How does it feel to win the US Open again?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Well, you're too little right now to tell you how I feel, but you know, it feels amazing. I had really tough lessons earlier this season. I lost couple of finals on the Grand Slam, and winning this one means a lot, defending the title.

I cannot, you know, explain you the feelings. I hope -- you play tennis?

Q. Yeah.

ARYNA SABALENKA: You're going to feel it one day. You're going to understand me. Yeah, I'm just speechless right now.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You mentioned on court and again just now the idea of these lessons from your earlier Grand Slam tournaments. First of all, could you tell us a little more about that? What were the lessons? Do you tend to be somebody who wants to forget about a disappointment or think about what led to that and figure out how to win the next time?

ARYNA SABALENKA: You know, like, after Australia Open, I thought that the right way would be just to forget it and move on, but then the same thing happened at the French Open. So after French Open I figured that, okay, maybe it's time for me to sit back and to look at those finals and to maybe learn something, because I didn't want it to happen again and again and again.

So, yeah, I was in Mykonos, reading my book, enjoying the view (laughing), and I was just thinking that why would I let my emotions to take control over me in those two finals? It felt like I thought that, okay, if I made it to the final, it means that I'm going to win it, you know, and I sort of didn't expect players to come out there and to fight. You know, I thought that everything going to go easily my way, which was completely wrong mindset, you know?

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, and doesn't matter what happens in the match. If she break me back or if she plays incredible tennis -- of course, it's a finals, and she's going to be fighting, especially after recent final, I knew that she would love to have, like, a better result.

My mindset was just going out there, fight for every point. Doesn't matter of the situation. Just focus on myself and focus on things that I have to do to win the match. I think from what I understand today, that the lesson learned and I really hope it will never happen again if I'm going to be playing another finals, that I will be more in control.

Q. Upon winning the match, on match point you fell to your knees on the baseline, you've won three Grand Slam titles before, but did that feel different?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I think because of the finals earlier this season, this one felt different. You know, this one felt like I had to overcome a lot of things to get this one.

I knew that, you know, the hard work we put in, like, I deserved to have a Grand Slam title this season. So, yeah, when I fell, it was like truly emotions, because it means a lot to defend this title and to bring such a great tennis on court. And to bring the fight and be able to handle my emotions the way I did in this final, it means a lot. I'm super proud right now of myself.

Q. Jason mentioned there was a book that you read. Could you just tell us what that was and how that kind of changed your perspective?

ARYNA SABALENKA: It called Magic Shop, or The Door to Magic Shop or something. But it's about, yeah, the brain, about -- actually, the way it's written, it's very interesting, because it's like a real story, the guy who learned how to control himself. Yeah, how to not overthink.

It was kind of like easy to read, but, you know, like reading that book, I realized a lot of things. That book really helped me to stay focused and to focus on the right things on important points.

Q. Who recommended it to you? How did you hear about it?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I've seen so many friends of mine reading that book and recommending, saying, Oh, my God, you have to read it, this book is incredible, so good. It's about the way how brain works, and you have to read it. It's amazing.

So I was, like, Okay, I thought, I have to. You know, it was the right moment for me to go for that book.

Q. When she came back to 5-All and the way the crowd reacted, I just wonder, was that a challenge at all to that mental fortitude you've been talking about?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Yeah, you know, in this match, in the first set when she broke me back, and then at the end of the second set when she broke me back, there was, like, two moments where I was really close to lose control, but at that moment I told myself, No, it's not going to happen. It's absolutely okay.

And that's what, like, you know, you expect in the final, that the player going to fight back and will do her best to get the win. So I was just trying to focus one step at a time.

Q. You had...

ARYNA SABALENKA: You're shining (laughing). Really reflecting each other.

Q. I want to ask, you were playing a lot of defense in a lot of points today, and Amanda was dictating a lot of rallies. She had more winners than unforced errors than you, not usual for you. You are usually much more dominant. How easy was it for you to respond to that kind of game? And also, I'm curious how much Champagne you've already had today?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Well, actually, I didn't have much. We were just, how you call it, spraying it out.

Actually (taking a drink), Cheers, Guys.

Well, I cannot be serious right now. But going to this match, I knew what to expect. She's aggressive player. She plays really aggressive tennis, and I think that at Wimbledon I was overthinking. I was doubting my decisions, and I was stopping my arms a lot, and I was making a lot of mistakes. If not mistake, that I would just slow down the speed, and then she would just step in and go for her winners.

So going into this match, I knew that it's going to be very fast game, very aggressive. I was just trying to stay as low as possible, and I was just trying to, you know, put that speed, that pressure back on her and see how she can handle it.

Q. You've talked in the past about your dad and about the importance of putting your family name on the biggest trophies in the sport. Just along those lines, what does it feel like to have another one?

ARYNA SABALENKA: It feels a lot. It feels, yeah -- it means a lot. You know, when he passed away, you know, I was very depressed. It was a tough moment for me, for my family.

But in that moment, I decided to take it as motivation, to put our family name in the history. I know that he's -- I want to believe, and I think I feel his protection from up there, and I know that he became my power. So it means a lot.

Q. It's my understanding in the past when you had problems, you at first worked with a therapist or mental coach, something along those lines. But then you said, no, I want to figure it out or I'm going to figure it out myself. Now you've come through with these lessons that you've learned from your setbacks. Is the triumphing in the mental side of the game, is that in some ways even more satisfying than figuring out stroke production and the like, or just talk about that, please.

ARYNA SABALENKA: Well, mental health, it's very important, and I've been working with psychologist for four or five years, and she helped me a lot at the beginning, especially to understand that everything is possible as long as you put the work in and you dedicate your time, life for your dream. She helped me a lot.

But then at some point I realized that I was relying on her so much. I thought that, okay, she has to fix me, she has to give me an answer. So I wasn't really taking the responsibility over my actions. I was making the same mistake over and over again, and I was getting upset that it's not helping.

At some point I decided, okay, I have to take responsibility, and I have to figure it by myself by, like, thinking, analyzing, and understanding myself better. I think it actually worked really well. I think that was the right move for me.

But you never know, you know. Maybe one day I'll feel like, okay, I need someone to talk to, I need someone to share, I need someone help. But in that moment I'm really proud of myself that I actually take responsibility over my actions, and it actually really helped me to understand myself, why I'm reacting at something specific way.

You know, like just to understand myself better. I think it was a huge move, and that's why right now, under pressure, I'm able to handle my emotions much better because I have better understanding of who I am.

Q. When you missed that overhead smash, you turned around and took a breath. Is that one of the two moments that you mentioned you almost lost it?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Yeah, that was the moment. That was definitely moment, because in that smash, I just let the doubt get into my head. I was just kind of, like -- first of all, I was surprised that she got it, that she got to that shot. What I saw that she stopped, but then she was there, and I didn't expect it.

I doubt, like, where should I play it, for some reason. I was, like, yeah, I was really close to lose it, because you cannot make these kind of mistakes on important points. Sometimes it can be crucial, from my experience.

So, yeah, that was the moment, but then, yeah, I turn around and I took a deep breath in, and I was, like, okay, it happens. It's in the past. Let's focus on the next one.

And then she broke me (laughing). I was, like, okay, kind of like reset (laughing).

But yeah, and the crowd was going crazier for her, but then I step back again. I was, like, okay, she played incredible tennis. She got to the ball. She played great in the fans. Now I have to focus on her return, on her serve. Didn't work as well (laughing). But then I was really focused on my serve. I knew that I have to hold my serve and do my best on the tiebreak.