Sabalenka defends US Open title, top ranking
Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka returns to the US Open with her world number one ranking under threat from Elena Rybakina. The tournament begins Sunday.
Aryna Sabalenka must win the US Open, which starts on Sunday, to extend her 99-week run as the world number one. The two-time defending champion's lead over Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina has shrunk to just 434 ranking points.
Sabalenka's form has dipped sharply since she completed the 'Sunshine Double' by winning Indian Wells and Miami back-to-back earlier this season. Since that Miami triumph, the 28-year-old Belarusian holds a 17-7 win-loss record. This includes a French Open quarter-final exit and a fourth-round defeat at Wimbledon.
Her recent struggles were evident in Cincinnati, where she lost to 20-year-old Czech Sara Bejlek after leading 5-1 in a first-set tie-break and 4-1 in the second set. In Toronto, her serve faltered in a last-16 loss to Russian world number 19 Ekaterina Alexandrova. Sabalenka has also capitulated from winning positions against players like Hailey Baptiste in Madrid and Diana Shnaider at Roland Garros.
"I work on my mental side of the game. I've been trying to reset my mind and to come back stronger," Sabalenka said in New York. "It's only a matter of time for me to come back."
Rybakina eyes top spot
The drop in Sabalenka's results has opened the door for Elena Rybakina to claim the number one ranking. Rybakina, who beat Sabalenka to win the Australian Open in January, might not even need to win a match at Flushing Meadows to ascend, as she has fewer ranking points to defend. However, questions remain over her fitness due to an ankle injury sustained in the Cincinnati quarter-finals.
Rybakina can secure the top ranking if her nearest rivals, Sabalenka, Jessica Pegula, and Coco Gauff, do not win the title. If Sabalenka does retain the title, Rybakina would still rise to number one by reaching the semi-finals. Pegula, the 2024 finalist, arrives after runs to the finals in Washington and Cincinnati.
Gauff, the 2023 champion, returns with more confidence, particularly in her serve.
Beneath this leading quartet, the rest of the top 10 all hold either a Grand Slam or WTA 1,000 title. This group is led by French Open winner Mirra Andreeva, Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova, and six-time major winner Iga Swiatek. You can check the latest standings as the tournament progresses.
Men's draw reshaped by injuries
For the third consecutive Grand Slam, the rivalry between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz is on hold. Alcaraz missed the French Open and Wimbledon with a wrist injury and makes his comeback from a four-month absence in New York. A day after Alcaraz announced his return, Sinner revealed he had been ruled out with a knee issue.
"It's kind of weird. We are not going see each other for, like, six months now, seven months," said Alcaraz. Sinner's absence and uncertainty around Alcaraz's fitness galvanize the chasing pack, particularly 39-year-old Novak Djokovic. The 24-time major champion continues to pursue a standalone record 25th Grand Slam title.
Germany's Alexander Zverev leads the seedings, aiming for a third straight major final after winning the French Open and losing to Sinner at Wimbledon. Canadian Open champion Ben Shelton and Cincinnati finalist Frances Tiafoe lead the American challenge, alongside 2024 finalist Taylor Fritz. Keep an eye on the fixtures to follow their progress.
Source: BBC Sport