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Sabalenka earns A- grade from Davenport at US Open

Aryna Sabalenka advanced at the US Open, with Lindsay Davenport grading her first-round win an A-. Davenport analyzed the pressure on the defending champion and outlined potential threats in her draw, while Sabalenka's next opponent is qualifier Polina Iatcenko.

Deuce and Advantage desk 31 Aug 2026 Source: Tennishead

Tours: Aryna Sabalenka advanced at the US Open, with Lindsay Davenport grading her first-round win an A-

Aryna Sabalenka began her US Open title defence with a 6-2, 6-4 first-round win over Camila Osorio. The world number one, seeking a third consecutive title in New York, advanced despite what has been a difficult North American hard court swing for her. Former US Open champion Lindsay Davenport graded Sabalenka's performance live on Sky Sports, assigning the Belarusian an A-.

Davenport's Analysis and Grade

Davenport said she could give Sabalenka an A- for a good performance, noting the player raised her level during crucial moments while Osorio challenged more in the second set. She highlighted the significant pressure on the top seed, who aims to win a major this year and keep the world number one ranking, adding that managing that pressure as the tournament progresses will be the real question.

Potential Threats in the Draw

Davenport pointed out several players who could challenge Sabalenka in her half of the draw. She mentioned Linda Noskova as a projected quarter-final opponent. Marta Kostyuk and Diana Shnaider, who defeated Sabalenka at Roland Garros, are also potential hurdles. The analyst listed Jessica Pegula, Elina Svitolina, and Karolina Muchova among others as contenders in that section for a possible semi-final clash. Sabalenka had already been given a boost after her potential third-round opponent Barbora Krejcikova lost. You can track the evolving competition in the tournament standings and see upcoming fixtures.

Second-Round Opponent: Polina Iatcenko

Sabalenka's next match is against world number 160 Polina Iatcenko. The 22-year-old Russian qualified for the main draw and won her first-round match against Renata Zarazua after losing the first set, claiming her first-ever Grand Slam main draw victory. This upcoming match on Wednesday, September 2, will be the first professional meeting between Sabalenka and Iatcenko. Sabalenka maintains her perfect record of never losing in the US Open first round. For more details on player form and records, visit our comprehensive stats page.