Sabalenka bids to rediscover form at intriguing US Open
Aryna Sabalenka arrives at the US Open, which starts on Sunday, seeking to defend her title and steady a run of poor form after a stunning start to the season. The 28-year-old Belarusian completed a rare Indian Wells-Miami "Sunshine Double" in the spring and built a 3,000-point lead atop the world rankings, but has since gone 17-7, including a French Open quarter-final exit and a fourth-round Wimbledon loss, raising questions about her mental composure in lower-pressure matches.
Sabalenka now leads Elena Rybakina by just 434 points and must win again at Flushing Meadows to protect her 99-week reign as world number one, with Rybakina able to overtake her without even playing a match, though an ankle injury clouds her own campaign. Recent defeats to Sara Bejlek in Cincinnati and Ekaterina Alexandrova in Toronto, plus repeated collapses after winning first sets during the clay swing, have fuelled doubts, but Sabalenka insists she is working on her mental game and remains confident of a hard-court revival. Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff, the latter fresh from winning in Cincinnati, are also among the leading contenders.
- Sabalenka defends US Open title after a shaky post-Miami slump
- World number one ranking at risk, with Rybakina closing in
- Bejlek and Alexandrova defeats highlight recent mental lapses
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Aryna Sabalenka is a Belarusian tennis player who has spent much of the past two years at the top of the women’s world rankings. The US Open is one of tennis’s four major tournaments, played on hard courts in New York, and Sabalenka won it last year.
A player’s ranking is based on points earned at tournaments over a rolling period, so defending a major title can help protect a high ranking. Sabalenka’s lead has narrowed, while Elena Rybakina is close behind; Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff are also among the leading players in the women’s draw.
The story matters because the US Open is a chance for Sabalenka to show whether her strong results earlier in the season can be matched after a run of losses. It also puts the battle for the world number one ranking in focus.