Aryna Sabalenka Hopes to Implement this Season’s “Tough Lessons” at the US Open

Aryna Sabalenka to begin her US Open title defense against unseeded Rebeka Masarova.

Aryna Sabalenka Hopes to Implement this Season’s “Tough Lessons” at the US Open

Aryna Sabalenka (Image via X/We Are Tennis)

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Aryna Sabalenka has revealed that she’s bent on implementing the lessons from her heartbreaking losses this season at the US Open. The World No.1 is entering the tournament as defending champion and holds a remarkable 50-10 win-loss record on tour this year. However, she has managed to win the title in just three tournaments.

The Belarusian has been outstanding on the court, reaching three of the last four Grand Slam finals. Sabalenka has also featured in nine semi-finals this season and has only lost two of them. She reached the final of the Australian Open in January but finished as a runner-up after losing to American star Madison Keys.

The 27-year-old showed fighting spirit at the French Open, beating the defending champion Iga Swiatek in the semi-finals, but still couldn’t get her hand on the title as she fell to Coco Gauff in three sets in the final. In the third major tournament of the season, she was the favorite to win Wimbledon after Gauff suffered an early exit.

Yet again, she came short against another American player, Amanda Anisimova, 4-6, 6-4, 4-6 in the semi-finals of the Championships. After a short break, she returned to the court to defend her Cincinnati title but was surprisingly knocked out by Elena Rybakina 6-1, 6-4 in the quarter-finals of the WTA 1000 tournament.

She didn’t compete at the revamped US Open mixed doubles event as she’s focused on winning the singles title for the second consecutive time. Sabalenka revealed during her press conference that she hopes to implement the tough lessons from the Grand Slam losses at the US Open:

I’ve had a pretty good season so far in the Slams. Lost those two finals but I learned really tough lessons. I lost in the semis at Wimbledon, but the consistency is there. I’m just missing a little, little part. (The US Open) has always been my favorite slam. I’m the defending champion, and I love being in this position. I really hope those tough lessons are going to help me in this one.

Sabalenka has reached at least the quarter-finals of her last 11 Grand Slam tournaments and has won more titles at the stage than anyone other than Swiatek since the start of 2023, but her recent struggles in the final have been worrying.

Aryna Sabalenka lands tricky 2025 US Open draw as defending champion

Aryna Sabalenka claimed the US Open last year after beating Jessica Pegula in the final 7-5, 7-5. She faced only one top 10 player en route to the final, and that was Qinwen Zheng in the quarter-finals, and didn’t drop a set throughout the event. This year will be different for the World No.1 as she’s set to face stronger opposition from the round of 16.

Aryna Sabalenka (via X/Ground Press)
Aryna Sabalenka (via X/Ground Press)

She’s joined in the top half of the draw with Jessica Pegula, Mirra Andreeva, and Jasmine Paolini. Sabalenka will open her account at the US Open against Rebeka Masarova and, in the second round, could face either Nuria Parrizas-Diaz or Polina Kudermetova. After that, a potential clash against Canadian Open champion Leylah Fernandez awaits her in the third round.

If she gets into the fourth round of the Grand Slam tournament, she could possibly face 14th seed Clara Tauson or 19th seed Elise Mertens. Meanwhile, Elena Rybakina has a potential clash with Emma Raducanu in the third round, before a possible top 10 showdown against Paolini in the round of 16.

Sabalenka could then face the winner between Rybakina and Paolini in the quarter-finals. A win in the last eight means that a potential clash against Pegula awaits her in the semi-finals, which will be a rematch of the 2024 final.

Also Read: Coach Darren Cahill Shares Update on Jannik Sinner’s Health as US Open Looms