Aryna Sabalenka shares an important promise with fans just hours before her first US Open match.
Aryna Sabalenka opened up about her recent struggles as she gets ready to play Camila Osorio in the first round of the US Open. The defending champion isn’t feeling very confident right now, especially after missing the quarter-finals in her last three tournaments.
It’s been a tough year for the Belarusian player, who started 2026 strong with a runner-up finish at the Australian Open and wins at Indian Wells and Miami. But since then, she hasn’t won a major title. Her most recent loss was a surprise at the Cincinnati Open, where she fell 7-6, 6-4 to Sara Bejlek in the round of 16. Fans also noticed her upset reaction towards a ball boy, which added to the concern.
On top of that, her spot as world No.1 is in danger. Elena Rybakina moved ahead of her in the live WTA rankings after doing well in Cincinnati. Sabalenka has to win the US Open, or at least go very far, to keep her top ranking, which means there’s a lot of pressure on her.
“I’ve been dealing with a lot lately,” Sabalenka said before her Monday match, aiming for her third straight US Open win. “But that’s the nature of sports. When things get tough, I’ll come back stronger.” She promised fans she’s ready to turn things around and didn’t want to dwell on the rough patch she’s had recently.
Sabalenka was quiet about personal issues off the court, but it’s clear she’s been having a hard time staying focused during matches. Rick Macci, who coached Serena and Venus Williams, noticed that her mindset in tough moments is shaky but believes she can bounce back.
“Sabalenka is struggling a bit right now. She still has an amazing serve and powerful game, but in big moments, her mental toughness isn’t where it needs to be,” Macci said. “Her confidence goes up and down, but she can still change the game with her strength from the baseline.” He believes she can turn things around at the last big tournament of the year because she’s shown before that she’s a fierce competitor.
“This season has been really hard for her,” he added. “She’s almost competing with herself mentally, which can make it tough to keep winning.”
Earlier this year, Sabalenka even thought about quitting after a shocking loss at the French Open where she lost 10 games in a row on court. Since then, she lost to Naomi Osaka at Wimbledon and hasn’t gone past the last 16 in big events in Canada and Cincinnati.
Winning a third US Open would be a perfect way to bounce back from all these challenges and prove she’s still one of the top players to watch in the biggest tournaments.