Aryna Sabalenka Faces Form Crisis With World No. 1 Ranking at Risk

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka arrives at the US Open determined to put a difficult summer behind her as she attempts to become the first woman since Serena Williams to win three consecutive titles at Flushing Meadows.

The Belarusian star has endured an uncharacteristic dip in form, failing to advance beyond the fourth round in her last few tournaments. Her struggles have raised questions about whether she can rediscover the dominant tennis that has kept her at the top of the rankings.

Sabalenka, however, remains defiant. Asked about concerns surrounding her recent performances, she brushed aside the criticism, saying, “Maybe there’s something wrong with people.”

Her season had begun impressively. After losing the Australian Open final to Elena Rybakina, Sabalenka responded by winning consecutive hard-court titles at Indian Wells and Miami, appearing firmly in control of her game.

The momentum faded during the summer. She was beaten by Naomi Osaka in the fourth round at Wimbledon and then suffered another fourth-round defeat against Ekaterina Alexandrova in Toronto. In Cincinnati, she squandered leads in both sets before losing to Sara Bejlek, showing frustration that had been less visible in recent years.

Sabalenka has declined to reveal exactly what affected her during the difficult period but admitted she had been dealing with several issues. She said she has since focused on her mental game, trying to reset and turn the setbacks into lessons.

Her off-court lifestyle has also attracted attention, with social media posts showing fashion shoots, holidays and trips to Greece with her fiancé. But close friend Paula Badosa rejected suggestions that Sabalenka’s lifestyle has affected her tennis, saying such criticism only appears when a successful player starts losing.

The No. 1 ranking is now under pressure, with Rybakina and Pegula closing the gap. Yet New York remains Sabalenka’s strongest stage. She won the title in 2024 and defended it last year.

Now, she hopes another deep run can turn her summer struggles into a historic US Open campaign.