Sabalenka cruises in 53 minutes but faces
Aryna Sabalenka swiftly defeated Polina Iatcenko 6-1, 6-1 in 53 minutes at the US Open. The world number one's dominant win was overshadowed by a tense press exchange and the looming threat of losing her top ranking to Elena Rybakina.
World number one Aryna Sabalenka needed just 53 minutes to overpower US Open debutant Polina Iatcenko 6-1, 6-1 in the second round. The two-time defending champion's victory was one of the quickest Grand Slam wins of her career.
Sabalenka's pace and power proved overwhelming for the 22-year-old qualifier. Iatcenko, ranked 160th, managed only three winners compared to Sabalenka's 24. The Belarusian held serve to love in under 90 seconds to seal the first set. Iatcenko took a bathroom break after the opener, but Sabalenka maintained her rhythm to surge ahead in the second.
Post-match tension surfaces
Despite the straightforward win, Sabalenka did not appear entirely happy. Her mood carried into a spiky exchange with a reporter during her post-match news conference. She took umbrage at a question she perceived as suggesting she had been attending lots of parties before the tournament.
She countered by asking what kind of question that was, arguing that posting activities with brands did not mean she had been partying and not training. When asked if she was getting serious now the event had started, she replied sarcastically that she was not serious before and called for the next question.
The fight for the number one ranking
Sabalenka knows she must win the title in New York to have any chance of preventing Elena Rybakina from taking her top ranking. Even if Sabalenka retains the trophy, Rybakina would still rise to world number one by reaching the semi-finals. This pressure comes after a dip in form for Sabalenka following a spectacular start to 2026.
Her record leading into the US Open dropped to 17-7 after she won the Indian Wells and Miami titles back-to-back earlier in the year. She had reached only one WTA semi-final in the five months prior to Flushing Meadows. Before the tournament, Sabalenka admitted she had been dealing with several things during a period she knows was below her best.
Iatcenko's consolation prize
For Polina Iatcenko, the match on Arthur Ashe Stadium was a harsh lesson but a valuable experience. The Russian managed to get on the scoreboard at 5-1 in the first set, breaking into a relieved smile. She can also console herself with a significant financial reward. Having earned $300,000 in her career before the US Open, she takes home another $190,000 from this run.
Other second-round action
Earlier on Wednesday, other top seeds advanced comfortably. Third seed Jessica Pegula continued her quest for a first major singles title with a 6-3, 6-1 win over fellow American Sofia Kenin. Pegula also has a mathematical chance of replacing Sabalenka as world number one if she wins the title, as does fourth seed Coco Gauff.
There were also straight-set victories for Wimbledon runner-up Karolina Muchova, two-time major semi-finalist Marta Kostyuk, and teenage American Iva Jovic. The pattern of few upsets in the women's draw continued over the opening two rounds. Sabalenka will play Uzbekistan's Kamilla Rakhimova in the third round.
