Chair Umpire Denies Amanda Anisimova’s Request in US Open Battle With Aryna Sabalenka

Amanda Anisimova and Aryna Sabalenka earned their places in the 2025 US Open women’s singles final through contrasting journeys that highlighted both grit and power. The American, Anisimova, surged past Naomi Osaka in a gripping semi-final that went the distance, rallying from a set down to triumph 6-7, 7-6, 6-3 and secure her spot in consecutive Grand Slam finals.

On the other side, Sabalenka, the world No. 1, fended off Jessica Pegula in a similarly hard-fought encounter, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, cementing a blockbuster final matchup. With Sabalenka’s relentless baseline power and Anisimova’s newfound belief and resilience, the stage was set for a clash defined by redemption, rivalry, and raw emotion.

The focus of the final, however, shifted unexpectedly when Anisimova raised a concern about the stadium lights—her toss, she said, was being affected by their glare under the closed roof. She appealed to the chair umpire to adjust the lighting, hoping for a subtle change that might restore her rhythm. The umpire’s reply was terse and literal: “It’s very fixed,” signaling that no adjustments were possible.

For Anisimova, it was a little bump in the road at a time when every detail, even the smallest one, can really make a difference. Even though that request was turned down, the match went on under the bright lights—just a neutral setting for all the feelings happening on the court.

For sure, the pressure is really on for the home hero. In the first set, Anisimova got completely obliterated by her Belarusian opponent 6-3, and in the midst of the second set, Sabalenka is leading 4-3, as of writing this report. But a leading tennis voice actually backed the American before the match.

Warnings were issued to Aryna Sabalenka ahead of her clash against Amanda Anisimova

Rick Macci, the top coach who famously trained 23-time slam queen Serena Williams in her childhood, believed that Amanda Anisimova really had a shot against Aryna Sabalenka.

In a post on X, he wrote, “Anisimova versus Sabalenka is who can have fun in the New York sun. Whoever enjoys the fight will take flight. Nerves could come into play and that might decide the day. Both players can Bam but if Sab get mad DOUBLE A MIGHT WIN HER FIRST SLAM.” Basically, Sabalenka really needs to manage her on-court aggression to avoid making those endless errors.

In Paris, she had 70 unforced errors, while Gauff had 30. That really resulted in a big loss for the Belarusian in that final at Roland Garros. Even though Sabalenka is often seen as the big hitter in the WTA, it’s really Amanda Anisimova who has the quicker strike on the ball. Especially when we’re talking about backhand speed. Well, I guess we’ll just have to wait and see who ends up snagging that last Slam of the year.