Defending US Open champ Aryna Sabalenka is rolling into Flushing Meadows in rough shape, and it’s got everyone buzzing. Forget what you think you know, because the world No. 1 has hit her biggest crisis since she first grabbed that top ranking more than three years ago.
Cincinnati Shocker Raises Eyebrows
Man, what even happened in Cincinnati last week? Sabalenka’s third round exit there was wild. Under normal circumstances, she should have cruised past Sára Bejlek. Seriously, she was up 5-1 in the first set tie-break, then 4-1 in the second set! She gave herself more than enough chances to close out a comfortable win, but nope. Instead, she took a straight-sets loss. That’s brutal to watch for a top player heading into a major.
Season-Long Slump Hits Hard
That Cincinnati loss wasn’t just a one-off, either. It stretched out a pretty mediocre 17-7 record for her since the beginning of April. Think about it: since April, she hasn’t made it to a single final. Not one! This isn’t the form you expect from a player who’s won the US Open on the last two occasions. She’s got just one more chance to turn her year around and grab a grand slam title at the US Open.
So here we are, at the US Open, and Sabalenka is trying to find her game. This tournament is her last shot this year to get that grand slam trophy she’s been chasing. Can she dig deep and find that championship form when it matters most, especially after winning here the last two years? The stakes couldn’t be higher for the defending champion.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Guardian.
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