Top seed Sabalenka powers into US Open fourth round

Two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka out-gunned Kamilla Rakhimova 6-3, 6-4 to lead the way into the US Open round of 16 on Friday.

Order of Play

The world No 1 from Belarus fired 29 winners, with 10 aces, and didn't face a break point, but that didn't tell the entire tale of match that saw 92nd-ranked Rakhimova push Sabalenka hard in a second-set slugfest.

"She played incredible tennis, she really pushed me so hard in the second set," Sabalenka said. "I'm super happy that I was able to close this match in straight sets because she's a fighter."

Sabalenka, whose world No 1 ranking is under threat in New York, got off to a strong start, breaking Rakhimova in her first service game and holding her own serve with ease.

Sabalenka didn't miss a first serve until the seventh game of the contest, pocketing the first set in 35 minutes.

But Uzbekistan's Rakhimova dialed up the power in the second set, which featured mammoth service holds from each player before Sabalenka gained the crucial break for a 5-4 lead.

Sabalenka, who must repeat as champion to have a chance of remaining No 1, next faces either 15th-seeded Russian Diana Shnaider or 96th-ranked American Taylor Townsend.

Shnaider knocked Sabalenka out of the quarterfinals at Roland Garros in June.

Sabalenka hasn't won a title since her impressive Indian Wells-Miami double in March.

As she tries to join Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova as the only women to win three straight US Open titles she said she's trying to tune out expectations – positive and negative.

"I completely shut down the noise from outside," she said. "I'm trying to focus on myself. I know if I'm focused on myself, if I'm pushing myself really hard I know I will have my chances on court."

PEGULA RALLIES TO REACH FOURTH ROUND

World No 3 Jessica Pegula shook off a lackluster opening set to overcome Leylah Fernandez of Canada in three sets, advancing to the fourth round.

In a battle of former US Open finalists, Pegula defeated Fernandez 1-6, 6-4 6-3, concluding the match with a swinging backhand volley winner.

Pegula said after the match she knew she was "going to have to dig deep" to turn things around after moving sluggishly in the first set.

"I never feel comfortable playing her," Pegula said of Fernandez, a tricky player whose mix of hard and off-pace shots demands maximum focus.

Pegula will face Sorana Cirstea for a place in the quarterfinals after the Romanian veteran beat Jasmine Paolini 6-3, 6-3, with a potential clash with top-seed and two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka possibly looming in the semifinals.

Sabalenka, who advanced earlier Friday, beat Pegula in the final of the 2024 US Open and again last year in the semis.

Fernandez easily won the first set, capitalising on a rash of errors from the American, who struggled to read the varied spin and speeds of her left-handed opponent's serve.

But Pegula, who has won two titles in 2026 and reached the final of the big Cincinnati warmup tournament, played with greater patience in the second set, waiting for the right moment to step up the power and seize control of points.

The two players exchanged breaks at the end of the set, with Pegula finally edging through when Fernadez couldn't handle the trajectory of a ball that nicked the net on the way over.

The third set began in the same see-saw manner, but a turning point came when Fernandez was unable to capitalise on two break points at 1-1.

Pegula won that game, broke in the next and held the rest of the way.