Aryna Sabalenka ECSTATIC after fulfilling her childhood dream of becoming the World No.1 courtesy of Iga Swiatek’s loss to Jelena Ostapenko at US Open

Sabalenka takes on Daria Kasatkina in the round of 16.

Aryna Sabalenka ECSTATIC after fulfilling her childhood dream of becoming the World No.1 courtesy of Iga Swiatek’s loss to Jelena Ostapenko at US Open

Aryna Sabalenka (Credits : Getty Images)

In one of the biggest surprises of the US Open 2023 so far, defending champion and current World No.1 Iga Swiatek crashed out in round of 16, losing to Jelena Ostapenko 3-6, 6-3, 6-1. The 20th-seeded Latvian extended her winning streak over the 4-time Grand Slam champion to an impressive 4-0. The 2017 French Open champion was tracing bullets returning Swiatek’s serve in the third set. Swiatek barely avoided a bagel in the final set, losing 6-1.

Heading into the tournament, the No.2 seed Aryna Sabalenka had to match or better Swiatek’s performance to take the World No.1 title for the first time in her career. With Sabalenka scheduled to play in the 4th round and Swiatek being knocked out by Ostapenko, the No.1 title will switch hands after the US Open, regardless of Sabalenka’s further results.

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Iga Swiatek’s reign as WTA World No.1 ends after spending 75 consecutive weeks at the top-the third longest after Steffi Graf (186) & Martina Hingis (80).

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Sabalenka said that taking first place in the WTA list is “the perfect reward for hard work.“ “Getting to number one on the WTA list is something I’ve dreamed about since I was little, since I started playing tennis,” the 25-year-old told the WTA website. The Australian Open champ will be the 29th player to reach the top position on the WTA list. She will also be only the eighth tennis player to hold first place in both singles and doubles during her career, since she was at the top of the doubles ranking in February 2021.

“It’s an incredible feeling to join the great list of tennis players who have made it, and it’s a great honor for me that they can be called world number one in singles competition,” she added.

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Aryna Sabalenka to face Daria Kasatkina in the fourth round

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus walks across the court during the semifinal round at the Western & Southern Open at Lindner Family Tennis Center on August 19, 2023
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus (Via Imago)

2nd seed Aryna Sabalenka got a statement win in the third round of the US Open 2023 as she took her 2023 Grand Slam record to 20-2. The Belarusian defeated the World No.61 Clara Burel 6-1, 6-1 to book a spot in the second week of the US Open. Sabalenka earned a whopping 10 break points, converting 5 of them. The Australian Open champion leads the WTA players in hitting winners with 645 winners to her name. 21 of them came in her third-round win.

Next up, Sabalenka is scheduled to play the Russian Daria Kasatkina, who advanced past Greet Minnen in straight sets. The 13th seed defeated qualifier Minnen 6-3, 6-4 in 1 hour and 28 minutes to reach the fourth round in Flushing Meadows for the first time since 2017.

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The pair have faced each other 6 times with Sabalenka boasting an impressive record of 4-2 over the Russian. The pair faced last time in the third round of Cincinnati Masters, Sabalenka defeated Kasatkina in straight sets (6-3, 6-3). On hard courts, the pair are all square at two wins apiece.

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