NEW YORK — Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka delivered a statement performance under the Arthur Ashe Stadium lights on Wednesday, overwhelming Russian qualifier Polina Iatcenko 6-1, 6-1 to storm into the third round of the U.S. Open. The top seed needed just over an hour to secure her 16th consecutive victory at Flushing Meadows, keeping her bid for a third straight title firmly on track.
Sabalenka, who is aiming to become the first woman since Serena Williams to win three consecutive U.S. Open crowns, wasted no time imposing her will. She raced through the opening set in a blistering 24 minutes, breaking Iatcenko’s serve three times while dropping only one game. The world number one’s combination of raw power and pinpoint precision left the 160th-ranked qualifier with few answers from the baseline.
Night Session Dominance Continues
“I’m super happy to play in front of you, the night sessions here are the best,” Sabalenka told the cheering crowd after the match. “I’m happy with my level, happy with the focus, and happy to be through this match.”
The Belarusian has now won 16 straight matches at the U.S. Open, a streak that includes back-to-back titles in 2024 and 2025. Her only brief stumble came in the fourth game of the second set, when Iatcenko managed to break serve for the first time. Sabalenka responded immediately, breaking back to take a 4-1 lead and closing out the match without further drama.
Road Ahead for the Defending Champion
With the victory, Sabalenka advances to face Kamilla Rakhimova in the third round. Rakhimova, a 24-year-old Russian, has never advanced beyond the third round of a Grand Slam. Sabalenka will enter that matchup as an overwhelming favorite, having lost only five games total through her first two matches of this year’s tournament.
Sabalenka’s dominance in New York has drawn comparisons to the sport’s all-time greats. Chris Evert won four consecutive U.S. Open titles from 1975 to 1978, while Serena Williams claimed three straight from 2012 to 2014. If Sabalenka lifts the trophy again this year, she would join that elite company and further cement her status as the premier hard-court player of her generation.
The third-round match against Rakhimova is scheduled for Friday, with Sabalenka expected to once again feature in a prime-time slot on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
