After clinching her 21st tiebreak victory of the 2025 season in the US Open final against Amanda Anisimova, Aryna Sabalenka made history.
The Grand Slam season had been a tough one for the Belarusian, having suffered two defeats in championship matches at the Australian Open and Roland Garros.
At Flushing Meadows, however, that all changed when, after a near-flawless campaign, Sabalenka overcame Anisimova at Arthur Ashe Stadium to hoist the trophy.
She became the first to successfully defend the title since Serena Williams in 2014, and the third in the Open Era to claim all of her first four major crowns on hard court, following Naomi Osaka and Kim Clijsters.
Aryna Sabalenka now stands alone in incredible Open Era feat
The last three seasons in Sabalenka’s tennis journey have been incredibly successful, with four Grand Slams and several WTA 1000 titles to her name, along with world number one status.
Though she has carved out the beginning of a legendary career in recent years, the 27-year-old was not triumphing at the biggest stages from the word go.
From 2017 to 2020, Sabalenka failed to make it past the fourth round at a major, recording countless early exits.
| Year | Australian Open | Roland Garros | Wimbledon | US Open |
| 2020 | First Round | Third Round | – | Second Round |
| 2019 | Third Round | Second Round | First Round | Second Round |
| 2018 | First Round | First Round | First Round | Fourth Round |
| 2017 | – | – | Second Round | – |
She made progress in 2021 and 2022, advancing to the semifinals of both Wimbledon and the US Open, before finally going all the way at the Australian Open in 2023.
With her rapid rise to the top of women’s tennis from then on, Sabalenka now stands out among Open Era legends.
Until the 2025 US Open, every WTA player since 1968 that had tallied four or more Grand Slams had reached their first major final before the age of 21.
Late bloomer Sabalenka has now changed that, having not made her first until the age of 24 years and eight months.
Aryna Sabalenka’s search for the Career Grand Slam
Though she has reached the latter stages of all four Grand Slams, Sabalenka has only emerged victorious in Melbourne and New York.
She was agonisingly close to picking up a maiden Roland Garros title in June, but conceded her set lead in the final against Coco Gauff.
Her semifinal exit at Wimbledon marked her third consecutive campaign at the All England Club that has ended in the final four.
Sabalenka may be a hard-court specialist, but the world number one is more than capable of accomplishing the Career Grand Slam.
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