“She Needs This Victory” – Mouratoglou on Sabalenka’s high-stakes US Open Final
Aryna Sabalenka lost her last two Grand Slam finals, at the Australian Open and Roland Garros. For Patrick Mouratoglou, a victory at the US Open is crucial for her.
Aryna Sabalenka, US Open 2025 | © Zuma / PsNewz
For Aryna Sabalenka, the US Open final is more than just a chance to lift another Grand Slam trophy, it is an opportunity to exorcise the ghosts of recent finals and assert herself as the dominant force she has proven to be throughout the season.
As Patrick Mouratoglou noted in a video posted on his social networks, “Sabalenka is not a surprise. She’s the number one in the world. She’s very consistent throughout the season. She’s always there. It’s really rare when she has a bad loss against a player she’s not supposed to lose against. So we can’t say it’s a surprise at all.”
Indeed, Sabalenka has been remarkably consistent in 2025, a fixture in the final stages of tournaments and a player whose presence is always felt at the highest level. Yet, despite her brilliance on court, two recent Grand Slam finals, against Madison Keys at the Australian Open and Coco Gauff in Roland-Garros, ended in disappointment.
Both matches were situations where, as Mouratoglou emphasized, she was “really dominating… [and her] tennis level is above the opponent,” but the mental hurdles in crucial moments proved decisive.
if the same scenario happens again, it’s going to hurt her really bad
The match against Amanda Anisimova presents both a challenge and a critical turning point. Mouratoglou underlined the significance: “For Aryna, it’s a very, very important match… it’s a great occasion for her to break that problem and sort it out. If she does, I think it’s going to help her tremendously in the next seasons, and probably she will be able to win many more majors. But if the same scenario happens again, it’s going to hurt her really bad.”
Winning on Saturday would not only add a second US Open trophy to Sabalenka’s collection but also mark a psychological breakthrough. Mouratoglou summarized perfectly: “Winning a Grand Slam is always extremely important, but more than that, there is more on the line than just a Grand Slam title. There is her ability to overcome what she’s gone through in the last two Grand Slam finals she played.”
The world number one has the chance to silence doubt, prove her resilience, and step into the next chapter of her career with newfound confidence.
For Sabalenka, the stakes are clear: victory in New York is not just about the title, it’s about mental redemption, legacy, and reaffirming her place at the very top of women’s tennis.
