Aryna Sabalenka Defends US Open Title Following Fourth-Round Slump

Two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka enters the New York hard courts following consecutive fourth-round exits in Toronto and Cincinnati.

NEW YORK -- World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka arrives at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center as the two-time defending champion, despite failing to advance past the fourth round in her most recent tournament appearances. The top-ranked star enters the draw following a summer stretch where she was upset by Ekaterina Alexandrova in the fourth round of the Toronto event and subsequently ousted by Sara Bejlek in Cincinnati. During the Cincinnati loss, Sabalenka surrendered leads in both sets, exhibiting visible frustration with her game. These results follow a Wimbledon campaign where Naomi Osaka eliminated her in the fourth round.

Sabalenka’s 2026 season began with a run to the Australian Open final, where she fell to Elena Rybakina. She rebounded from that defeat by securing back-to-back hard-court titles at the 1,000-level events in Indian Wells and Miami. The Belarusian powerhouse is currently wearing a black mesh-covered outfit for her New York matches, dismissing critics of the attire by stating, "Who cares about people, right? All [that] matters for me is that I love it."

Mental Reset and Physical Struggles

Addressing the recent dip in her performance, Sabalenka hinted at undisclosed complications that affected her play during the North American swing. "It wasn't the best period. I don't want to defend myself, but obviously I just don't want to talk about that period. I've been dealing with several things," she noted on August 28. The top seed emphasized that she has been working specifically on the mental side of her game to reset her mindset for the final Grand Slam of the year. She described the recent losses as tough lessons intended to make her stronger.

Sabalenka’s history in New York includes a maiden title in 2024, which she secured by defeating American Jessica Pegula in the final. She successfully retained the trophy last year by topping Amanda Anisimova in the championship match. Despite the recent fourth-round exits, she remains defiant regarding external criticism, questioning the motives of those scrutinizing her form by saying, "Maybe there's something wrong with people."

Ranking Pressure and Peer Support

Paula Badosa, a friend of Sabalenka on the WTA tour, defended the top-ranked player against suggestions that off-court activities like photo shoots or TikTok videos have impacted her results. Badosa pointed out that Sabalenka has maintained these habits since she was ranked outside the top 100 and throughout her rise to world No. 1. Badosa characterized the expectations for Sabalenka to win every tournament as "very, very difficult."

The No. 1 ranking is currently in jeopardy due to this recent string of losses. Sabalenka faces significant pressure to produce a deep run in the tournament as Elena Rybakina and Jessica Pegula continue to gain ground in the points standings. Sabalenka remains confident in her ability to recover her form on the hard courts, stating that it is only a matter of time before she returns to her peak performance level.

Hard Court Dominance

The power-heavy game Sabalenka utilizes is traditionally most effective on North American hard courts. While the losses to Alexandrova and Bejlek marked a departure from her early-season dominance in Indian Wells and Miami, the two-time defending champion views the current challenges as a necessary part of the sport. "Throw tough challenges at me, I will come back only stronger," she stated ahead of her opening matches. The Associated Press contributed to these details regarding her preparation and recent match history.