Aryna Sabalenka Dominates at US Open: Focused and Ready
Aryna Sabalenka is in no mood for nonsense in New York — on court or off it.
The world No.1 tore through Polina Iatcenko 6-1, 6-1 on Arthur Ashe Stadium on Thursday, a routine demolition that kept her bid for a third straight US Open title firmly on track. The tennis was ruthless. The press conference, sharper still.
Sabalenka bristles at “parties and fun” claim
Asked again about the off-court commitments and sponsor events that have surrounded her US Open campaign — and whether they involved “parties and fun” — Sabalenka’s patience snapped.
“You guys are, like, a joke. Parties, fun … like, why would you even say that? Why would you even think about that? What kind of question is that?” she shot back.
The line of questioning had surfaced after her first-round win and clearly lingered. This time, she cut it off at the knees.
“Just because I posted, like, some activities with brands, and you think that I've been partying, not training?” she added, before moving the conversation on.
The message was blunt: don’t confuse a few polished social media posts with a lack of work.
Locked in on court
On Ashe, there was no hint of distraction. Sabalenka dominated from the baseline, controlled the rallies, and never let Iatcenko breathe. The scoreline told one story; her post-match assessment told another — a player recalibrating her standards.
“I've been working really hard, but I feel like I'm kind of moving away from trying to be perfect on court,” she said. “I know that you cannot be perfect, and I'm just trying to work with what I have right now.”
It’s a revealing shift for a four-time grand slam champion whose game has long walked the tightrope between explosive power and raw emotion. The pursuit now is not spotless tennis, but effective tennis.
Chasing history, fighting a flat patch
Sabalenka arrived in New York without a title since Miami in March. For a player of her stature, that’s a drought. For a double defending champion at Flushing Meadows, it’s a challenge to be met head-on.
She did not dwell on the details of her mid-season dip.
“I think I struggled a little bit in the middle of the season. Once again, I'm not going to defend myself or explain why, what happened, but I'm happy with my level,” the 28-year-old said.
What she did stress was the state of her mind and body — and it sounded like a warning to the rest of the field.
“I can definitely say that mentally I'm way stronger than I was in the middle of the season, and physically I also feel stronger. I feel like I'm on my level of play, and I just want to bring the right focus on the match every time.”
That “right focus” now carries extra weight. Sabalenka is not just chasing a third consecutive US Open crown; she is also trying to avoid finishing the year without a major title, an outcome that would jar with her status as world No.1.
The tennis is back in sync. The edge is unmistakable. If this is the version of Sabalenka that stays on court — and the one that keeps meeting lazy narratives with the same steel — New York might yet see her lift the trophy again.
