Aryna Sabalenka prepares for U.S. Open title defense in New York
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Aug 31, 2026, 9:31 AM
Last updated Aug 31, 2026
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka enters this year’s U.S. Open at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center as a two-time defending champion. Despite a difficult stretch of play following the clay-court season, Sabalenka continues to rely on her ability to integrate into the city’s chaotic environment rather than avoid it. While other competitors like Novak Djokovic and Iga Świątek express frustration with the noise and logistical challenges of the tournament, Sabalenka maintains a routine that includes commuting from Manhattan and utilizing the city's energy. Her coaching staff notes that she treats the ambient pressure as a motivational tool. Having reached the tournament semifinals every year since 2021, she aims to secure a third consecutive title under these conditions.
- •Aryna Sabalenka is the two-time defending champion entering this year’s U.S. Open.
- •The tournament is held at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens.
- •Sabalenka has reached at least the semifinals of the tournament every year since 2021.
- •The player utilizes a routine that embraces the city's commotion to maintain her focus.
- 9:31 AMYahoo Sports — Aryna Sabalenka’s U.S. Open titles are built on an empire state of mind. Can she find it again?
"Aryna Sabalenka first traveled to New York City as a teenager. On her first morning in the Big Apple, weary and jet-lagged, she rose just after dawn. Her body clock was telling her it was time. Unable to get back to sleep, she threw on some clothes and headed out the door of her hotel room just after 6 a.m., hoping to take a solitary walk in what she assumed would be a slumbering Central Park. “I thought, ‘OK, it’s going to be empty, it’s going to be beautiful,’” Sabalenka recalled during a rece
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