Aryna Sabalenka Dominates Iatcenko at US Open

Aryna Sabalenka did not come to New York to entertain a narrative.

She came to win a third straight US Open.

On Thursday at Arthur Ashe Stadium, the world No. 1 tore through Polina Iatcenko 6-1, 6-1, a ruthless, businesslike demolition that lasted far less than the debate that followed in the press room.

Sabalenka bristles at “parties and fun” question

For the second time this week, Sabalenka was pressed about her off-court schedule – brand events, appearances, the usual grand slam circus – and whether it hinted at “parties and fun” around the tournament.

She snapped.

“You guys are, like, a joke. Parties, fun … like, why would you even say that? Why would you even think about that? What kind of question is that?” she shot back.

The line of questioning had clearly worn thin. Sabalenka has posted glimpses of sponsor activities in New York, and some chose to read that as a distraction from the grind of a major campaign. She was having none of it.

“Just because I posted, like, some activities with brands, and you think that I've been partying, not training?” she added, cutting the exchange short and drawing a sharp line between her social media feed and her professional reality.

On court, that reality looks as uncompromising as ever.

A champion leaning into imperfection

Against Iatcenko, Sabalenka played like a woman intent on resetting her season. Heavy first serves, clean first-strike hitting, and an intensity that never dipped. The scoreline told one story; her post-match reflection told another.

“I've been working really hard, but I feel like I'm kind of moving away from trying to be perfect on court,” she said. “I know that you cannot be perfect, and I'm just trying to work with what I have right now.”

That shift matters. Perfection has chased Sabalenka all year. She is a four-time grand slam champion, the double defending champion in New York, and yet she arrives at this US Open without a major title in 2024 and without any trophy since Miami in March.

For a player of her stature, that’s a drought. Not a crisis, but a nagging reminder.

“I think I struggled a little bit in the middle of the season,” the 28-year-old admitted. “Once again, I'm not going to defend myself or explain why, what happened, but I'm happy with my level.”

She left the reasons there, unpicked, choosing instead to talk about where she stands now.

“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. I feel like I'm on my level of play, and I just want to bring the right focus on the match every time.”

Chasing history, shutting out the noise

That “right focus” now carries extra weight. Sabalenka is trying to do something rare: win a third consecutive US Open title while stopping a season from slipping by without a major.

The stakes are clear. So is her stance.

On one side, a player who has not lifted a trophy since March. On the other, a dominant No. 1 flattening early-round opposition in New York and insisting her mind and body are back where they need to be.

The questions about parties and distractions may linger in some corners, but they no longer sound remotely connected to the player stalking the baseline at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

If this is Sabalenka “not perfect,” the rest of the draw knows exactly what kind of problem it faces over the coming week.