US Open 2026 Singles Preview: Will Aryna Sabalenka Rediscover Her Mojo? How Will Carlos Alcaraz Fare on Comeback? - BBC Sport
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Fighting to Stay No. 1 - Sabalenka's US Open Mission
Image source: Getty Images
Image caption: Aryna Sabalenka has won four Grand Slam singles titles, including two US Open victories in 2024 and 2025.
By Jonathan Jurejko, BBC Sport tennis news reporter
Published 5 hours ago
All was bright in Aryna Sabalenka's world when she completed a rare 'Sunshine Double' earlier this season. Becoming only the fifth woman to win the Indian Wells and Miami titles back-to-back, Sabalenka emphasised her position as the dominant player on the WTA Tour and created a 3,000-point lead at the top of the world rankings.
But a difficult period quickly followed—seemingly out of nowhere—leaving the 28-year-old Belarusian clinging on to her position going into the US Open, which starts on Sunday.
Two-time defending champion Sabalenka returns to New York with a 17-7 win-loss record since the Miami triumph, including a chastening French Open quarter-final exit and a disheartening defeat in the Wimbledon fourth round. It is a record far below the four-time major winner's lofty standards.
With 2,000 points to defend at Flushing Meadows and Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina now trailing by only 434, Sabalenka must win again to extend her 99-week run as the world number one.
Asked if she felt confident she can rediscover her mojo on the hard courts on which she has thrived, Sabalenka said, “Absolutely. These tough lessons are definitely going to make me way, way stronger and working even harder.”