Sabalenka earns 53-minute US Open win

Two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka earned one of the quickest Grand Slam wins of her career with a 53-minute pummelling of US Open debutant Polina Iatcenko in the second round.

However, the world number one did not look entirely happy even as she swept aside Iatcenko – then had a spiky exchange with a reporter in her post-match news conference.

Sabalenka took umbrage with what she perceived to be a suggestion from a reporter that she had been attending “lots of parties” in the build-up to the US Open.

“What kind of question is that? Just because I posted some activities with brands, you think that I’ve been partying [and] not training?” countered Sabalenka.

Asked if she was “getting serious” now the tournament was under way, she said: “Oh yeah, I wasn’t serious before that. Next question.”

Sabalenka, 28, is aiming to win her first major title of a strange season where she has enjoyed spectacular success but is now looking to recover from a recent dip.

Coasting to a 6-1, 6-1 victory over 22-year-old qualifier Iatcenko did not offer a true test of where Sabalenka’s level is.

But the ruthless manner in which she secured victory will certainly boost confidence as she looks to complete a rare ‘three-peat’ of US Open titles.

“I’m happy with the level I played, happy with the focus and happy to be through this match,” said Sabalenka, who will play Uzbekistan’s Kamilla Rakhimova in the third round.

Sabalenka knows she must the lift the trophy in New York again to stand any chance of preventing Elena Rybakina taking her position at the top of the rankings.

Even if Sabalenka does retain the title, Rybakina would still rise to the summit by reaching the semi-finals.

Sabalenka losing the top spot seemed unthinkable after a storming start to the season, reaching the Australian Open final and winning the Indian Wells and Miami titles back-to-back.

Losing to Rybakina in Melbourne was Sabalenka’s only defeat in her first 27 matches of 2026.

After completing the Sunshine Double, her win-loss record leading into the US Open dropped to 17-7 and she has only reached one WTA semi-final in the past five months.

Before the final Grand Slam of the season, Sabalenka admitted she had been “dealing with several things” in a period which she knows was far below her best.