Sabalenka Beats Rakhimova 6-3, 6-4; Pegula Rallies Past Fernandez at US Open

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka advanced to the round of 16 with a straight-sets victory as Jessica Pegula recovered from a dismal 1-6 start to defeat Leylah Fernandez.

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka secured her place in the US Open round of 16 on Friday by defeating Kamilla Rakhimova 6-3, 6-4. The top seed faced a significant challenge in a second set that spanned 54 minutes, a duration that exceeded her entire previous match by one minute. Sabalenka is currently pursuing a historic milestone, aiming to become the first woman to claim three consecutive US Open titles since Serena Williams achieved the feat between 2012 and 2014.

Jessica Pegula, the No. 3 seed, also advanced on Friday after overcoming a 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 deficit against 2021 runner-up Leylah Fernandez. Pegula’s performance began poorly as she successfully landed only 5 of 16 first serves during the opening set. Despite the slow start, the American dug deep in the second set to reverse the momentum against Fernandez, who had not won a Grand Slam singles match this year prior to arriving in New York.

Round of 16 Matchups Confirmed

Sabalenka’s next opponent will be Taylor Townsend, who reached the round of 16 for the second consecutive year. Townsend earned her spot by knocking off No. 15 seed Diana Shnaider with a score of 6-2, 6-7 (3), 6-3. The American expressed confidence regarding the upcoming clash with the World No. 1, stating she is built for these moments and ready to take her time on the court.

Jessica Pegula moves forward to face Sorana Cirstea. The 36-year-old Romanian, who is considering retirement following the conclusion of this season, extended her career by defeating No. 19 seed Jasmine Paolini 6-3, 6-3. Cirstea entered the tournament as the No. 16 seed and will now compete in at least one more Grand Slam match before her potential departure from the sport.

Seeded Players Exit and Rematches Set

Emma Navarro, the No. 26 seed and former NCAA singles champion at Virginia, caused an upset by ousting No. 7 seed Karolina Muchova. Navarro is one of two former women's college players remaining in the draw, alongside Old Dominion alumna Yuliia Starodubtseva. Muchova’s exit follows her previous loss in the Wimbledon final earlier this summer.

Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova and No. 11 seed Marta Kostyuk both advanced their positions in the bracket. Their victories set up a high-stakes rematch of their recent semifinal encounter at the All England Club. The Friday results keep alive the possibility of a third consecutive meeting between Sabalenka and Pegula on the final weekend of a major tournament, following their 2024 final and previous semifinal clash.

Statistical Highlights from New York

During her victory, Sabalenka noted that Rakhimova played incredible tennis and pushed her to improve by bringing her best level to the second set. Pegula admitted that the different looks provided by Fernandez gave her trouble, noting that the match very well could have not turned around had she not found her rhythm in the middle set. Fernandez was attempting to reach the fourth round at Flushing Meadows for the first time since her final appearance against Emma Raducanu five years ago. The victory for Pegula marks a significant turnaround from her previous meeting this year where she handled Fernandez with relative ease.