Aryna Sabalenka Dominates Polina Iatcenko in 53 Minutes
Aryna Sabalenka needed just 53 minutes to dismantle Polina Iatcenko on Arthur Ashe Stadium. She needed far less time to dismantle a line of questioning she clearly felt had crossed a line.
The two-time defending US Open champion crushed the Russian qualifier 6-1 6-1 to move into the third round, extending her dominance in New York and underlining why she is world No 1. But the most uncomfortable moments of her night came not on court, but in the interview room.
Sabalenka bristles at “parties” question
Sabalenka, who has been a prominent presence on social media with posts from sponsor events and off-court appearances, was again asked about her activities away from the practice court — a subject that had already surfaced after her first-round win.
This time, she snapped.
“You guys are, like, a joke,” she shot back when a reporter framed a question around “parties” and “fun” before the tournament.
“Parties, fun. Like, why would you even say that? Why would you even think about that? What kind of question is that?
“Just because I posted, like, some activities with brands, and you think that I've been partying, not training? The question, like, what is that?”
When the reporter tried to clarify — “I'm saying that there are a lot of events and things like that. I'm not saying you go to the parties” — Sabalenka cut in immediately.
“You literally said that. Next question.”
The exchange grew even more awkward as the reporter attempted to explain himself to the room.
“For everyone who is unclear, I'm not suggesting that Aryna is having fun at these parties,” he said.
“Thanks, yeah,” Sabalenka replied, curtly.
“I'm saying that she makes a lot of appearances and there's a lot to do and lots of events, OK?” the reporter continued.
“OK. Move on,” came Sabalenka’s response.
The tension did not ease with the next question, which asked if, now that the tournament had started, she found herself “getting quite serious and combative”.
“Oh, yeah, I wasn't serious before that,” she answered, dripping with sarcasm. “Next question. Think before you say stuff.”
On court, there has been no doubt about her focus. Sabalenka is chasing a third straight title at Flushing Meadows, a run that would place her alongside Serena Williams and Chris Evert in the modern era. She faces Uzbekistan’s Kamilla Rakhimova on Friday, seeking a 17th consecutive win at the US Open.
Alcaraz powers through after slow start
Carlos Alcaraz also moved through to the third round, but his route was far more circuitous.
The defending champion dropped the opening set to Portugal’s Jaime Faria before surging back to win 4-6 6-0 6-3 6-2, another step in his return from a lengthy wrist layoff. Once he steadied, the match flipped abruptly: Alcaraz rattled off eight straight games, squeezing the life out of Faria’s early momentum.
“After that I just tried to be focused, tried to stay calm and I'm thinking that good things are going to happen again,” said Alcaraz, who is now on a 16-match winning streak in Grand Slam tournaments.
The scoreline told the story. From a shaky, error-strewn start, he shifted into the familiar, suffocating gear that has carried him to major titles, pulling away with authority in the final three sets.
Buse revives a family chapter in New York
On the outside courts, Ignacio Buse wrote a more personal tale.
The Peruvian battled past American Marcos Giron 3-6 6-3 6-3 6-7 (6) 6-1 in three hours and 48 minutes on Court Six, claiming his first US Open main-draw victory and adding a new line to a family history that stretches back to 1958.
His grandfather was the last member of the family to win a match at this tournament. Sixty-six years later, Buse matched that feat, sealing it with a backhand volley that drew a roar from his team and fans in the stands.
“It's difficult to find the calm in those situations, but in the fifth set, I just tried to recover mentally,” he said. “It's a mental battle out there. I just stayed calm. It's a very special moment.”
The fifth set underlined that shift. After losing a tight fourth-set tiebreak, Buse reset, surged through the decider and never looked back.
Tsitsipas and Tiafoe grind their way on
Stefanos Tsitsipas endured his own examination but survived, coming from a set down to beat South Africa’s Lloyd Harris 6-7 (1-7) 6-3 7-6 (7-4) 6-4. The Greek, who had already taken out 10th seed Arthur Fils in the opening round, leaned on his serve and resilience in the key moments, edging a pivotal third-set tiebreak to seize control.
He now faces Czech 18th seed Jiri Lehecka, a meeting that promises a very different tempo and a far sterner baseline test.
For the home crowd, Frances Tiafoe kept the American hopes intact.
The 11th seed defeated Japanese qualifier Rei Sakamoto 6-3 7-6 (7-2) 7-5, a straight-sets win that still demanded full concentration. Tiafoe handled the tiebreak with authority and closed the third set just as it threatened to stretch into dangerous territory.
With that, the long wait for a US men’s champion in New York — 23 years and counting — stays alive for at least another round.
