Anisimova: "I didn't play my best tennis, I was in the background"
The American player appeared at a press conference visibly affected by the defeat against Sabalenka in the US Open 2025, but wanting to think positively.
To lose a final, you have to reach it. Amanda Anisimova can be very proud of the quality leap taken in recent months, but she leaves US Open 2025 with the unease of not having found her best level at the crucial moment. She was surpassed by Aryna Sabalenka, but she wanted to show optimism at the press conference.
A tough blow for Amanda Anisimova losing the final of US Open 2025, but also an important learning experience for a sports career on a clear upward trend. The young American had kind words of recognition for Aryna Sabalenka, but she can't help feeling disappointed for not displaying her best tennis in such a relevant event. She leaves with better feelings than at Wimbledon, but also with the sense of having much room for improvement.
"It was an incredible atmosphere; I tried to enjoy it to the fullest, especially in the second set when I started to come back. I had a lot of support, and that helped me a lot to stay in the match. I was very motivated and wanted to give my best in the final. I hope to keep working hard to have more opportunities to reach more finals."
"I felt like I wasn't playing my best tennis throughout the match. I don't know. I feel like I get very nervous in finals, and it's something I'm trying to work on, but I wish I had played more aggressively. She was playing amazing, doing everything right, so she made it very difficult for me today.
That's the reality, and I have to accept it. I feel that if I had fought more, maybe I would have had more chances, but today I was a bit in the background."
The keys to her defeat against Sabalenka
"I was in a rush and struggled to maintain the pace. I knew I had to be the most aggressive player if I wanted to win, and it would still be really tough. I tried to stay in the match and think about how to make it harder for her, but the rallies weren't very long. It was very tough, and I didn't realize I was hitting more winners than her."
The issues with the lights at Arthur Ashe
"I hadn't played on the court during the day with the roof closed, and it was literally bright; I couldn't see the ball when serving. From the warm-up, I thought, 'This is going to be a problem.' I didn't know what to do. There was no way to adapt because I couldn't see the ball when serving, and that was a huge shock for me because I knew that if I couldn't hold my serve, it would be very tough to stay in the match."
Her rivalry with Sabalenka
"She came out and played excellent tennis from the beginning. Obviously, she's number one and very capable of playing amazing tennis, as she did today. I give her all the credit. I admire her a lot; she puts in a lot of effort, and that's why she's where she is. We've had many tough matches. I wish today had been more intense, but that's how things are."
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Anisimova: "No jugué mi mejor tenis, estuve en segundo plano"