Sabalenka blocks out noise to start US Open 'three-peat' bid with victory

The Women’s women number one tennis player, Aryna Sabalenka has apparently blocked out all the noise surrounding her recent performance at the big stages to overcome a first-round test against Camila Osorio and started her campaign at the US open aiming to win her third straight championship.

The two-time defending champion has recently suffered a dip in her form over the past few months after a stellar start to the season where she reached the finals of the Australian Open and then went to complete the ‘Sunshine Doubles’ at Miami and Indian Wells.

The 28-year-old Belarusian’s position as the World Number One is now under serious threat as she risks closing the year without a Grand Slam win for the first time since 2022. However, she avoided another shock and an early exit at the US Open as she brushed aside a resilient Osorio to win the first round match on her return to the Arthur Ashe Stadium.

After the win, she said, “I really feel my best emotions at this stadium so it means a lot to be back and have an opportunity to accomplish a three-peat. I am trying to focus on myself. I am enjoying my time in New York and I am ready to go out there and do anything it takes to get the wins. I am ready for the fight.”

When Sabalenka won the Miami Open in April last year, she established a 3000 point lead at the top of the world rankings. But after her early exits by her own standards, followed by the losses at the Roland Garros and the Wimbledon, the Australian Open winner this year, Elena Rybankina now trails her by just 434 points.

This means, Sabalenka who is defending 2000 points at the Flushing Meadows, will have to win the title and hope that Rybakina fails to reach the semi-finals to retain her world number one position and extend her 99-week reign at the top.

If Sabalenka successfully defends her title successfully, she would become only the third woman in the history to achieve this feat in the Open era after Serena William and Chris Evert. However, she would have to improve her game significantly and be at her absolute best to navigate the stacked draw in New York.

Sabalenka came out all guns blazing in the first set of her first-round match against the world number 52 Osorio but she found herself struggling in the second set, as she hit 12 unforced errors and only 48% of her first serve were on target. But, the four-time Grand Slam champion fended three break points in the second set at 4-4 before eventually serving for a win after one hour and 20 minutes.

Sabalenka will next face the Russian qualifier, Polina Latcenko in her second-round match. Later on Monday, the American, Amanda Anisimova celebrated her 25th birthday with a dominating 6-1, 6-3 win over Ashlyn Krueger.

The crowd at the Louis Armstrong stadium treated the 10th seed, Animisova, the runner-up to Sabalenka last year at the US Open finals with their own rendition of ‘happy birthday’ after the match.

Meanwhile, the six-time majors champion, Iga Swiatek who won the title in 2022 also made a solid start to her campaign at the championship with a solid 6-2, 6-3 performance. She beat China’s Wang Xiyu to go to the next round.

The Wimbledon Championship winner in 2026, Linda Noskova also made it safely through to the next round after a win over American Katie Volynets by a margin of 7-5, 6-1. The French Open finals Maja Chwalinska was less fortunate as she bowed out of the championship following a 6-2, 6-3 defeat to the American Taylor Townsend.