Aryna Sabalenka Advances in US Open
Aryna Sabalenka, the reigning champion of the US Open, has successfully advanced to the second round of the tournament after a vigorous opening match on Sunday. Competing against Swiss player Rebeka Masarova, ranked outside the top 100, Sabalenka faced some initial hurdles before securing a 7-5, 6-1 victory.
Match Highlights
The first set proved to be particularly tense; Sabalenka found herself trailing after an early break, battling through an intense serve-and-return duel until she managed to break Masarova at a critical moment, pulling away decisively after a 5-5 stalemate.
The Belarusian star’s performance only improved as the match progressed, with Sabalenka dominating the second set, conceding just a single game on her way to clinching the match. Post-victory, she expressed her gratitude to the enthusiastic crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium, noting:
“When I won that set point and you were cheering me up, I had goosebumps while I was sitting. Your support means a lot to me, and thank you so much.”
Looking Ahead
This year, Sabalenka has showcased her dominance on the women’s tour, leading with 59 major match wins since the start of 2023. She aims to make history by being the first woman to successfully defend her US Open title since Serena Williams did so in 2014, and this year’s tournament marks the longest span without a female repeat champion since 1912.
In her next match, Sabalenka is scheduled to go head-to-head against Polina Kudermetova, who advanced after her opponent, Nuria Parrizas Diaz, retired early, with the score tied at 2-2 in the first set. These players faced each other earlier this year in Dubai, where Sabalenka emerged victorious.
Other Notable Results
Amid the other results from women’s singles on Sunday, Janice Tjen made headlines by defeating the 24th seed, Veronika Kudermetova, with a scoreline of 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. This triumph marks a significant milestone, as Tjen becomes the first Indonesian player to secure a win in a major event since Angelique Widjaja at Wimbledon in 2003. Tjen, who honed her skills at Oregon and Pepperdine universities, impressively qualified for the main draw after a stellar run in ITF competitions earlier this summer.
Additionally, former US Open champion Emma Raducanu also found success on Sunday, winning her first match at the event since her memorable triumph in 2021. Raducanu faced Ena Shibahara and won convincingly in straight sets, 6-1, 6-2, completing the match in just 62 minutes, the quickest major victory of her career.
