Aryna Sabalenka, current two-time US Open champion, began her journey in the tournament with a victory on August 31, 2026. The Belarusian tennis player is seeking her third consecutive title, a feat that would place her alongside Serena Williams. In her first match, Sabalenka beat Colombian Camila Osorio by two sets to zero, with partials of 6/2 and 6/4, after a match lasting one hour and 27 minutes.
With this initial result, Sabalenka is closer to reaching a remarkable mark set by Serena Williams. The former American tennis player, who participated in the mixed doubles tournament with Carlos Alcaraz at the age of 44, won her third Grand Slam title in New York between 2012 and 2014.
To maintain her position as number one in the world rankings, the Belarusian athlete needs to not only win the tournament, but also hope that Elena Rybakina, in second place, is eliminated before the quarterfinals of the US Open. Her next challenge at the New York Grand Slam will be against Russian qualifier Polina Iatcenko, who is ranked 22nd.
Aryna Sabalenka’s trajectory in the year 2026
Aryna Sabalenka hasn’t played in a final since the WTA 1000 in Miami. In this year’s Grand Slams, she reached the quarterfinals at Roland Garros and the round of 16 at Wimbledon. Her best recent performance was a semi-final at the WTA 500 in Berlin. Despite a challenging period, the tennis player expressed confidence before the start of the US Open, stating that these difficulties will serve as motivation for her recovery.
“The beauty of sport lies in this. The more difficult challenges presented to me, the stronger I will come back. These arduous lessons will undoubtedly strengthen me even more. It’s just a matter of time before my return,” said the tennis player.
