Amanda Anisimova laments ‘lack of fight’ in US Open final loss

NEW YORK – Amanda Anisimova felt she did not “fight hard enough” in her US Open final loss to Aryna Sabalenka on Sept 6 and admitted to suffering a recurrence of nerves in her second Grand Slam final.

The 24-year-old American, runner-up at Wimbledon in July, again fell short in her bid for a breakthrough Major title after losing 6-3, 7-6 (7-3) to reigning champion and world No. 1 Sabalenka.

She caused problems with her powerful game but could not maintain a consistent level against her more experienced Belarusian rival.

Anisimova had won six of nine previous encounters against Sabalenka, a run which included a semi-final win at Wimbledon, and was 2-1 up on hard-court clashes.

“Losing in two finals is great but it is also super hard. I didn’t fight hard enough for my dreams today,” said Anisimova.

“I didn’t win today, so of course, I didn’t do enough. That’s just the reality, and I have to accept that.

“I feel like if I fought harder, then maybe I would have given myself more of a chance, but I feel like I was really kind of in the back seat today.

“I just felt like throughout the match I wasn’t playing my best tennis.”

After a traumatic 6-0, 6-0 loss to Iga Swiatek at Wimbledon, Anisimova said she was “frozen by nerves” at the All England Club.

It is an aspect of her game she is continually trying to prove as she challenges for the sport’s biggest prizes.

“I feel like with finals, I have a lot of nerves, and it’s something I’m trying to work on, but I just wish I played more aggressive,” said Anisimova.

“Of course, she (Sabalenka) was playing amazing. She was playing very aggressive and doing all the right things, so she made it very difficult for me today.”

Anisimova had her chances in the first set against Sabalenka after digging herself out of an early hole with two service breaks for a 3-2 lead.

But she could not consolidate that position, finding it difficult to pick out the ball with the roof closed on Arthur Ashe Stadium after a torrential downpour in the area. Sabalenka won the next four games to take the set.

The aggressive baseline game that carried her past former champions Swiatek and Naomi Osaka was on display as she struck 22 winners to Sabalenka's 13.

But a high-risk strategy produced costly errors, with the American committing 29 unforced errors to her opponent's 15.

Anisimova said her rhythm was thrown off by an unexpected factor: the lighting under the closed roof of Arthur Ashe Stadium for the day session.

“Well, I haven’t played on the court during the day with the roof closed, and it was literally, like, white, and I couldn’t see the ball when I was serving,” she explained.

“That was a huge shock to my system,” she added. “It was extremely frustrating for me.”

Anisimova was repeatedly playing catch-up in the second set and although she broke Sabalenka with the top seed serving for the match, her challenge fizzled out in the tiebreak.

“Making it to the final is obviously really special, but it would have been a dream come true to make it all the way,” said the world No. 9.

“I hope I can keep working really hard to give myself more opportunities to be in more and more finals.”

The loss was a cruel blow for the former junior US Open champion, but her run to the final ensures she will break into the top five of the world rankings for the first time.

The result also means Anisimova now has a chance to play in the season-ending WTA Finals for the first time.

“It was actually a goal of mine at the start of the year,” she said. AFP, REUTERS