Sabalenka will face a decisive US Open for her legacy as number 1

Streaming ATP Kitzbuhel live tennis

🎾 Vit Kopriva vs Ignacio Buse

1. Sign up with Bet365 here
2. Make your first deposit of at least €5
3. Go to the “Live” section and watch every match

Watch the match on Bet365

 PUBLICIDAD

Register at bet365, deposit €5 or more into your account and you will receive 100% of your eligible deposit in Bet Credits (up to €100). New customers only. Terms apply. Winnings do not include the value of Bet Credits. Maximum prizes, game restrictions, time limits and terms apply. Registration required.

Aryna Sabalenka will arrive at the US Open 2026 with a very different kind of pressure compared to previous seasons. The Belarusian continues to be the best player in the world, having had a remarkable campaign in terms of consistency and clinched the prestigious Sunshine Double, but disappointments in the Grand Slams have created a sense of crisis surrounding her.

The defeats suffered in Melbourne, Roland Garros, and Wimbledon have left a bitter taste for a player who still leads the WTA rankings with authority but has yet to translate that dominance into success in the most important tournaments of the calendar. New York now presents the perfect opportunity for redemption, to expand her Grand Slam collection, and to avoid being part of a statistic as strange as it is undesirable for any world number one.

A brilliant season... with the Grand Slam thorn

It's difficult to label as disappointing a year in which a player has remained undisputedly at the top of the world rankings. Sabalenka has once again shown why she is the reference in the women's circuit, accumulating victories, finals, and titles that have allowed her to build a considerable lead over her competitors.

Particularly outstanding was her spring American tour. Conquering Indian Wells and Miami consecutively, the so-called Sunshine Double, is one of the most challenging achievements in modern tennis and confirmed that the Belarusian remained the one to beat.

However, elite tennis is often judged by a different standard. No matter how consistent a season has been, it is the Grand Slams that ultimately define the legacy of the great champions. This is where Sabalenka has encountered an unexpected obstacle during 2026.

She failed to defend her throne in Australia, came close but fell short at Roland Garros, and Wimbledon also did not provide the answer she was hoping for. Three missed opportunities that have progressively heightened the feeling that she needs a statement performance before the year ends.

A historical anomaly threatens the number one

The significance of the US Open goes beyond just the fight for a new Grand Slam. It can also prevent Sabalenka from joining a very small group of players who, as world number 1, completed a season without winning any of the four majors.

In the 21st century, this circumstance has occurred only eight times, a surprisingly low number reflecting just how much the top-ranked dominators usually convert that superiority into Grand Slam titles. The players involved in this peculiar statistic were:

A even more peculiar scenario

Sabalenka could even experience a more unique situation. There is a combination of results that would make this US Open an almost unprecedented scenario for the Belarusian.

If she fails to win the title and, furthermore, Elena Rybakina achieves the necessary outcomes to snatch the top ranking from her, Sabalenka could conclude a full year as the world number one without having won a single Grand Slam during that twelve-month period.

It would be an extremely uncommon circumstance in modern tennis because maintaining the top ranking for such a long time typically results from also dominating the major events. In Sabalenka's case, her extraordinary consistency, the vast amount of points accumulated in WTA 1000 tournaments, and her ability to reach the final rounds almost every week have sustained a leadership position that still calls for a recent major title as the primary argument.

Ironically, few players have seemed as superior for so many months without that superiority being reflected in the Grand Slams.

New York, a matter of legacy

Beyond the rankings' mathematics, the US Open symbolizes an immensely valuable opportunity for Aryna Sabalenka. The Belarusian knows perfectly well that her status as the best player in terms of consistency is unquestioned. What she needs now is to demonstrate once again that she can also prevail when all the pressure rests on her shoulders and the stage is as significant as it gets.

Moreover, winning the final Grand Slam of the year would completely alter the narrative of her season. The letdowns in Melbourne, Paris, and London would be interpreted as mere stumbles within an extraordinary campaign culminating in a major title. Failing to do so, on the other hand, would unavoidably leave the impression that 2026 was a year where she dominated the circuit... but not the grand stages.

The hunger of a champion

Precisely that feeling can become Sabalenka's greatest ally. Unlike other seasons where she arrived as a favorite after having already won a Grand Slam, this time she will land in New York with added motivation. She needs redemption, to heal recent wounds, and to remember why she has remained at the top of women's tennis for so many months.

Her power, aggressiveness, and ability to dominate from the first shot continue to make her one of the top contenders for the title. However, the challenge will be as much mental as it is about tennis. She will have to manage a different kind of pressure, knowing that a single tournament can profoundly change the evaluation of an entire season.

Because the US Open 2026 is not just about a Grand Slam. For Aryna Sabalenka, it represents the chance to confirm that her dominance in the rankings also translates into success at the most important tournaments or, conversely, to enter one of the most unique statistics of the 21st century. For a player accustomed to defying any limit, few challenges may be as stimulating as this one.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Sabalenka afrontará un US Open decisivo para su legado como número 1