Aryna Sabalenka Confesses American Crowd’s Change in Behavior Towards Her Over the Years

Aryna Sabalenka secured her second consecutive US Open title with a hard-fought victory over American Amanda Anisimova, winning 6-3, 7-6(3) in a match that showcased her resilience under pressure. The Belarusian world No. 1 successfully defended her crown, becoming the first woman since Serena Williams in 2014 to achieve this feat at Flushing Meadows.

Despite facing a spirited challenge from Anisimova, who pushed the second set to a tiebreak amid overwhelming crowd support for the home favorite, Sabalenka’s experience and composure ultimately prevailed, marking her fourth Grand Slam title and cementing her status as the tour’s dominant force.

During the on-court interview following her triumph, Sabalenka revealed a poignant evolution in her relationship with the New York crowd, confessing, “I love it. I love it here. I love the support and, you know, like, I feel like through throughout the years we guys built a kind of like relationship and you guys give me so much support.”

This acknowledgment highlighted a significant shift from her earlier experiences, where she faced notably hostile receptions when competing against American opponents. The world no. 1 humorously recalled her initial dread, stating, “And, you know, my first year here, when I saw that I have to play back-to-back against Americans, I was just like, no way, guys, please. I don’t want to play. But then coming back next year and I have to play again back-to-back against Americans, I mean, semis and then finals, and I felt a bit more support. And this year I felt even more support. So I’m super, so I’m super excited to come back next year. And I hope you all gonna cheer for me. Thank you. Thank you guys for bringing the best, the best atmosphere.”

This is a developing report…

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