Sabalenka Targets US Open Three-Peat Despite Recent Losses

Struggling Sabalenka confident she can turn it around at US Open  

“It's only a matter of time” says Aryna Sabalenka backs herself for US Open three-peat.

Sabalenka chases Evert and Serena record with third straight US Open...

Aryna Sabalenka stays confident despite struggles as she chases a third consecutive US Open title.

The Belarusian world No.1 shrugged off questions about her poor run on Friday as she gears up to defend her US Open title.

The top-ranked Belarusian heads to New York on the back of a tough spell and hasn’t lifted a trophy since winning Miami in March.  

But the 4-time Grand Slam champion says she’s ready for a fresh start at Flushing Meadows over the next two weeks. It’s a court that’s been good to her lately, with back-to-back US Open titles in 2024 and 2025.

“Always confident,” the 28-year-old told reporters when asked about her mindset.

Sabalenka began 2026 in red-hot form, winning in Brisbane and then making the Australian Open final, where she was beaten in three sets by Elena Rybakina.  

She responded to that Australian Open defeat by completing the 'Sunshine Double', winning both Indian Wells and Miami. She hasn’t reached a final since.

Her Grand Slam form dipped after that, with a quarter-final exit in Paris and a fourth-round loss to Naomi Osaka at Wimbledon.

More early exits followed this month in North America, with fourth-round losses at both the Canadian Open and Cincinnati Open. She heads to New York with plenty to prove.

Sabalenka, however, says she’s confident she can play herself back into form.

“That's the beauty of sport,” she said. “Throw tough challenges at me, I will come back only stronger.

“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. I've been dealing with several things.

“But who cares, right? I didn't perform my best. These tough lessons are definitely going to make me way, way stronger and working even harder.”

“I work on my mental side of the game. I was trying to reset my mind and to come back stronger, so it's only going to make me stronger. It's only a matter of time for me to come back.” Sabalenka said she’s been focusing on the mental part to get back to her best. 

 

A fifth career Grand Slam in New York would put Sabalenka alongside Chris Evert and Serena Williams as the only women to win three US Opens in a row.

“They're the biggest, and they're legends. I was growing up looking up to them, and I loved the way they dominated the tour,” Sabalenka said.

“So if I would be able to put my name kind of, like, slightly next to them, that means a lot to me.”