Anisimova has a no-frills game – all power and no subtlety, she looked to use that to blow Sabalenka off the court.
The fluctuations, though, were too much and ultimately the reason behind another emotional Grand Slam defeat.
Anisimova came out firing and bludgeoned her flat groundstrokes as she went for the margins.
It created three break points in the first game before Sabalenka recovered to hold and break for 2-0, but cracking more winners enabled Anisimova to turn the deficit into moving a break up at 3-2.
However, the nerves returned when she found herself out in front.
The groundstrokes became looser as she could not consolidate, then threw in a shocking service game with two double faults for 5-3.
Sabalenka, also prone to shifts in her level, remained the steadier to take the lead.
While the crowd continued to provide encouragement, Anisimova cut an exasperated figure as she toiled in her opening service games of the second set.
The pressure told as she fell 2-1 behind, Anisimova first slamming a ball high into the air before covering her face with a towel.
The atmosphere flattened among the partisan 25,000 fans, but the mood changed when Anisimova broke back to force a tie-break.
Sabalenka’s record this year in tie-breakers has been formidable and her confidence showed as she forged a decisive lead before winning her 19th breaker in a row.
“I know how hard these finals hurt,” said Sabalenka. “But you will enjoy it more after these tough losses.”
