Aryna Sabalenka Is Back: World No. 1 Storms Into US Open Third Round

Aryna Sabalenka looked every bit like a two-time defending champion on Wednesday night, powering past Russian qualifier Polina Iatcenko 6-1, 6-1 in just 53 minutes to reach the third round of the US Open.

The world No. 1 arrived in New York with questions surrounding her form and her position at the top of the WTA rankings. But against Iatcenko, Sabalenka produced the kind of dominant performance that has made her one of the most feared players on hard courts.

She fired 24 winners, controlled the rallies from the baseline and gave her opponent little opportunity to settle into the contest. Sabalenka also won 21 of 28 points behind her first serve, underlining the authority with which she played.

“Happy with the level I played today, happy with the focus and happy to be through this match,” Sabalenka said after the victory.

The Belarusian is attempting to achieve something rare in New York, winning the US Open for a third consecutive year. The last player to accomplish that feat was Serena Williams, who won the tournament from 2012 through 2014.

Sabalenka's recent results, however, had raised doubts about her chances. She had exited in the fourth round at each of her previous three tournaments before arriving at Flushing Meadows. She also needs help to retain the No. 1 ranking even if she goes on to win the title.

The 28-year-old acknowledged that she struggled during the middle part of the season but said she now feels stronger both mentally and physically.

“I can definitely say that mentally I'm way stronger than I was in the middle of the season, and physically I also feel stronger,” she said.

Sabalenka was not the only top player to make quick progress. Jessica Pegula needed just 56 minutes to beat Sofia Kenin 6-3, 6-1, while Ben Shelton defeated Hubert Hurkacz in four sets. Daniil Medvedev also advanced with a straight-sets victory over Sebastian Gorzny.

Rain continued to disrupt the schedule, forcing several players to deal with repeated delays and court changes. The first round was finally completed late Wednesday, allowing the tournament to begin catching up with its schedule.