For the last ten years, the much-coveted title has been a game of musical chairs, passed from one player to another, waiting for someone with the tenacity to seize it. Aryna Sabalenka has emerged as that competitor, triumphing over Amanda Anisimova to defend her US Open crown, a feat not accomplished since Serena Williams in 2014.

With this victory, the top-ranked player from Belarus concluded her most commanding season yet. Earlier this year, in Australia, she smashed a racket in frustration after losing the final to Madison Keys; in Paris, she crumbled against Coco Gauff.

On her third attempt, Sabalenka’s nerves were resolute. Despite missing out on serving to secure the match and amid the loud cheers from the American fans urging Anisimova to level, Sabalenka clinched a flawless tiebreak to win 6-3, 7-6, earning a record $5 million prize.

The 27-year-old’s fourth Grand Slam title puts her two behind her great rival Iga Swiatek.

Reflecting on Swiatek, Anisimova faced her second consecutive Grand Slam final loss after the Pole defeated her at Wimbledon. At 24, she must find solace in partial redemption from that crushing 6-0, 6-0 loss.

Having avenged her defeat to Swiatek and reaching yet another final, Anisimova demonstrated her ability to manage nerves. Her journey has been a remarkable comeback from that emotional day in London and was one of the tournament’s standout stories, though the fairy tale ending just eluded her grasp.

Sadly, it all ended in tears again. Anisimova came far closer this time, of course, but that will only have worsened the pain. 

She sobbed in her chair afterwards and said: ‘Losing two finals is so hard. Aryna, you are incredible. I’m in awe of what you have achieved.

‘I didn’t fight hard enough for my dreams today.’

To her opponent, Sabalenka said: ‘Amanda, I know how much it hurts losing in the finals.

‘You will win your first one. You will enjoy that even more after losing in these tough finals.’

Anisimova entered the competition with six victories out of nine encounters against Sabalenka. This relative dominance comes from her formidable stroke power – she might be one of the few women capable of overpowering Sabalenka and pushing her onto the defensive.

In the first set Sabalenka struck only three winners – in her previous three rounds the fewest she hit in a set was 11. That she still managed to win that set and this match showed how much she has developed as a player. 

Along with her incomparable coaching team of Anton Dubrov, Jason Stacey and Max Mirnyi, Sabalenka’s mission has been to add layer on layer to her game until she is a truly complete player. This performance showed that this process is reaching its endgame.

This was a Sabalenka we had not seen before; a Sabalenka in lockdown mode. She made just four unforced errors in the first set and at times did a decent impression of her great friend Novak Djokovic. 

At 1-1 in the second set came a point that will surely please team Sabalenka more than any other. She scrapped and scurried across the baseline, hacking chipping or scooping the ball back, and when Anisimova out of desperation threw over a drop shot, Sabalenka ran it down and feathered over a re-drop winner.

John McEnroe remarked before this final that these two have similar gamestyles, but that is true only in the sense that they both smack seven bells out of the ball. Sabalenka possesses greater variety, hitting with more shape and spin and mixing in slices.

Anisimova goes flat and hard at almost every ball. It is hair-raising to watch and for Anisimova must feel like driving a Formula 1 car round a bend with wet tyres.

The American – up to world No4 now – has said that to execute this style she must play totally free of fear. We saw at Wimbledon what can happen if a dose of tension is added to her no-margin game.

And when she dropped the first two games of this match the spectre of Wimbledon could be felt shimmering around Arthur Ashe Stadium.

But the Anisimova backhand – the most lethal weapon on show this fortnight – clicked into gear and she broke for a 3-2 lead. Sabalenka dug in and reeled off four games to take the set.

After an early break in the second set this final had the look of a procession. But when Sabalenka served for the match Anisimova launched a thrilling rearguard. At 30-30 Sabalenka dragged a smash into the net, then on break point Anisimova’s backhand went into redline mode. Five games apiece and all to play for, but Sabalenka dominated the tiebreak, taking it 7-3 and dropping to her knees in a tearful heap.

A worthy end to an excellent women’s event. From Taylor Townsend to Naomi Osaka, there has been high-class tennis and high drama. But no narrative could touch the redemption arc of Anisimova; and no champion could be more worthy than Sabalenka.