RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 3 sourcesNEW YORK CITY: Aryna Sabalenka arrived at Flushing Meadows chasing history. She could leave it without the No. 1 ranking.The 28-year-old two-time defending champion is chasing history, aiming to become the first woman since Serena Williams (2012-14) to win three straight US Open titles. But her dip in form has left her hold on the No. 1 ranking looking increasingly fragile. Sabalenka, who made the final of the Australian Open in January and won back-to-back WTA 1000 titles in Indian Wells and Miami has made just one semifinal in her last seven tournaments. The powerful Belarusian, whose recent meltdowns have left spectators gasping, is 17-7 since April.The top seed is closing in on a significant milestone -- 100 consecutive weeks at No. 1 -- but would need to win a third straight US Open title to get there. Sabalenka will reach 99 weeks atop the rankings by the end of the tournament, but with the 2,000 points from last year's title coming off her tally and three players in position to overtake her, extending her reign for another week is no longer entirely in her hands.Elena Rybakina, who clinched the title at Melbourne Park to give her season a rousing start, is less than 500 points behind Sabalenka in the WTA rankings. But the 27-year-old Kazakh’s run into the year’s final Grand Slam has been hampered by a left-ankle injury. Still, the second-seeded Rybakina could rise to No. 1 without playing a match at the US Open, provided Sabalenka, Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff do not win the title. Should Rybakina reach the semifinals, however, the top ranking is hers regardless of the other results.Sabalenka will bring a little New York spunk to court, kitted out in a basketball-inspired mesh dress with white seams over a bright orange sports bra and matching shorts. Her jewellery -- necklace, bracelet and drop earrings carrying more than 127 carats of coloured gemstones -- channels the city's bold, multicultural spirit. Whether that swagger carries over to her tennis, however, remains the bigger question, as the top seed begins her title defence on Monday against Camila Osorio.At her pre-tournament media briefing, when Sabalenka was asked about her recent run in tournaments, that has left much of the fandom wondering, what’s wrong with Aryna, the world No.1, replied with a smile, “maybe there's something wrong with people.”When tapped about her confidence levels she replied, always confident, before expanding. “That's the beauty of sport, throw tough challenges at me and I will come back only stronger,” she said.There were warning signs in Paris of the world No.1’s struggles. At Roland Garros, Sabalenka was within touching distance of the semifinals, leading Russia's Diana Shnaider 6-3, 5-3, when her game suddenly deserted her. She dropped the final 10 games to lose 6-3, 5-7, 0-6, a collapse as startling as it was troubling.“It wasn't the best period. I don't want to defend myself, but obviously I just don't want to talk about that period,” she said of the last four months. “I've been dealing with several things, but who cares, right? Yeah, I didn't perform my best.”“These tough lessons are definitely going to make me stronger and work even harder,” she finished.The top seed’s outfit may scream New York, but the message from Sabalenka's season is quieter, nothing can be taken for granted. The defending champion may have history in sight, but not everything is in her hands, courtesy of leads she has squandered. In Flushing Meadows, she will need more than her trademark power. It is never about one week or one tournament, it is about finding a way to stay standing when the pressure starts to bite, and carrying that resilience into the homestretch of the 2026 season.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.
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