World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka is gearing up to defend her crown at the US Open starting this Sunday in New York, aiming to achieve a rare hat-trick of titles. Despite enduring a sluggish run in recent tournaments, the top-ranked star remains fully focused on capturing her third consecutive championship on the hard courts of Flushing Meadows.
Recent Struggles on the Hard Court Swing
Sabalenka started the season on a high note by reaching the Australian Open final, where she finished as runner-up to Elena Rybakina. She quickly translated that momentum into victory by claiming back-to-back hard-court titles at Indian Wells and Miami. However, her form dipped as the season progressed. After a fourth-round exit at Wimbledon against Naomi Osaka, tennis observers expected her to dominate on her preferred hard-court surface. Instead, she suffered another fourth-round defeat in Toronto at the hands of Ekaterina Alexandrova. Her campaign in Cincinnati also ended in frustration when she failed to hold onto leads in both sets against Sara Bejlek.
Addressing Critics and Building Resilience
Facing scrutiny over her unexpected early exits, Sabalenka has dismissed concerns regarding her overall game. When questioned about what might be going wrong on the court, she bluntly remarked, "Maybe something is wrong with the people." Reflecting on her recent dip in form, she acknowledged that the past few weeks were challenging as she navigated multiple issues behind the scenes. Rather than offering excuses, she stressed that these setback experiences will serve as valuable lessons to push her training further, expressing confidence that returning to peak condition is merely a matter of time.
Chasing Serena Williams' Historical Milestone
The US Open has consistently brought out the best in Sabalenka over recent years. She captured her maiden tournament title in 2024 after defeating Jessica Pegula in a compelling final. She then successfully defended her crown last year by overpowering Amanda Anisimova in the championship match. Should she lift the trophy once again in New York, she will become the first female player to win three straight US Open singles titles since Serena Williams completed her dominant three-year run from 2012 to 2014.
