Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka opened her bid for a third straight US Open crown with a win on Monday, but the world No. 1 is chasing history with a fragile ranking and patchy form. Her 6-2, 6-4 victory over Colombia’s Camila Osorio was tidy on the scoreboard and nervy underneath it.
How the match played out
Sabalenka needed 1 hour 27 minutes to close out the match in Arthur Ashe Stadium, tallying 32 winners but also 23 unforced errors and four double faults, per the WTA’s match report. The win stretched her streak of consecutive first-round victories in majors to 24, a run dating back to her opening loss at the 2020 Australian Open.
| Metric | Sabalenka vs. Osorio |
|---|---|
| Score | 6-2, 6-4 |
| Duration | 1 hr 27 min |
| Winners | 32 |
| Unforced errors | 23 |
| Double faults | 4 |
| Majors streak | 24 straight first-round wins |
Why every match now carries extra weight
Winning is no longer just about the trophy for Sabalenka. Her 97-week run at world No. 1 is on the line in Flushing Meadows: she loses the top spot if she fails to defend her title and could fall as low as No. 4, according to the WTA. A first season without a Grand Slam title since 2022 would follow.
The form worries are genuine. Sabalenka has not reached a final since her Miami sweep in March, and she most recently lost from winning positions against Sara Bejlek in the Cincinnati fourth round.
The three-peat chase
By beating Osorio, Sabalenka kept alive her bid to become the first player to win three consecutive US Open titles since Serena Williams’ run from 2012 to 2014.
- Serena Williams: 3 straight US Open titles (2012-2014)
- Aryna Sabalenka: 2 straight (2024-2025), now chasing a third
The Manila connection
Filipino fans have a soft spot for Sabalenka’s first-round opponent. Osorio is the inaugural Philippine Women’s Open champion, having won the WTA 125 event at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center in Manila in January after outlasting Donna Vekic 2-6, 6-3, 7-5.
There is still Filipino interest in the draw, too. Alex Eala, the 17th seed, is into the second round, and she has been praised by Venus Williams through the opening days.
Bigger picture in New York
Sabalenka’s win was the first act on a loaded Day 2 at Arthur Ashe. Carlos Alcaraz, the No. 2 seed, was playing his first singles match since April after a right wrist injury, while the top of the men’s draw opened up after Jannik Sinner’s knee issue and Novak Djokovic’s first-round exit.
