NEW YORK — World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka powered into the third round of the US Open with a ruthless 6-1, 6-1 victory over qualifier Polina Iatcenko, needing just 53 minutes to complete one of the fastest Grand Slam wins of her career.
The two-time defending US Open champion overwhelmed the 22-year-old tournament debutant with relentless power and aggressive shot-making, striking 24 winners while allowing Iatcenko just three. But despite the one-sided victory, Sabalenka’s mood appeared less comfortable off the court, where a tense exchange with a reporter highlighted some of the pressure surrounding her title defence.
Sabalenka, 28, is attempting to capture a third consecutive US Open championship, which would place her alongside some of the biggest names in women’s tennis history. Chris Evert won four consecutive titles from 1975 to 1978, while Serena Williams completed a three-year run from 2012 to 2014.
From the opening game, there was little doubt about who was in control. Sabalenka’s pace and power proved too much for world No. 160 Iatcenko, who appeared understandably nervous while facing the world’s top-ranked player on one of tennis’s biggest stages.
Iatcenko finally won her first game when trailing 5-0 in the opening set and responded with a relieved smile, but the moment offered only temporary respite. Sabalenka immediately held serve to love in less than 90 seconds to take the first set after only 24 minutes.
Iatcenko left the court for a bathroom break and changed her kit before the second set, seemingly looking for a chance to regroup. Sabalenka stayed loose by practising her serve while waiting and quickly resumed her dominance when play restarted.
The Belarusian raced to a 3-0 advantage with a double break. There was a brief lapse when she dropped serve in the fourth game, but any suggestion of a comeback quickly disappeared. Sabalenka reasserted control, broke her opponent twice more and closed out the match in just 53 minutes.
Afterward, Sabalenka said she was satisfied with the level of her tennis and, importantly, her concentration throughout the match. She now moves on to face Uzbekistan’s Kamilla Rakhimova in the third round.
The convincing performance comes at an important time for Sabalenka, whose season began spectacularly before becoming considerably more difficult in recent months.
She reached the Australian Open final and captured the Indian Wells and Miami championships back-to-back. Her defeat against Elena Rybakina in Melbourne was remarkably her only loss in her first 27 matches of 2026.
That extraordinary momentum later slowed. Following her Sunshine Double triumph, Sabalenka’s record heading into the US Open dropped to 17 wins and seven defeats, and she reached only one WTA semi-final over the previous five months.
Sabalenka acknowledged before the tournament that she had been dealing with several issues during that difficult stretch and knew her recent performances had fallen well below the standards she had established earlier in the season.
Adding to the pressure is a battle for the world No. 1 ranking. Rybakina is threatening Sabalenka’s position at the top, while Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff also remain in contention depending on their performances in New York.
Sabalenka’s frustration became more visible during her post-match press conference when a reporter questioned her activities before the tournament and appeared to suggest that she had been attending too many parties.
The world No. 1 immediately challenged the suggestion, questioning why attending promotional activities with brands should be interpreted as partying rather than preparing seriously for the tournament.
The exchange became even more uncomfortable when Sabalenka was asked whether she was now “getting serious” because the US Open had begun. She responded sarcastically before abruptly asking for the next question.
Whatever frustration Sabalenka may have carried into the press room, there was little evidence of distraction during the match itself.
For Iatcenko, the defeat ended her first appearance at the US Open but provided valuable experience against the world’s top-ranked player. It also delivered a major financial boost to the young qualifier.
She had earned approximately $300,000 in career prize money before arriving in New York and is set to take home another $190,000 from her US Open appearance, a substantial amount that could help support the next stage of her career.
Elsewhere in the women’s draw, third seed Jessica Pegula continued her pursuit of a first Grand Slam singles title with a comfortable 6-3, 6-1 victory over fellow American Sofia Kenin.
Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova, Wimbledon runner-up Karolina Muchova, Marta Kostyuk and highly rated American teenager Iva Jovic also progressed in straight sets as the women’s tournament continued with relatively few major surprises through the opening two rounds.
For Sabalenka, the bigger challenge is still ahead. Her second-round opponent was unable to seriously test the defending champion, but the speed and authority of the victory offered an important reminder of what Sabalenka can produce when her powerful game is operating at full force.
After several difficult months and with her world No. 1 ranking under pressure, Sabalenka’s 53-minute demolition sent a clear message to the rest of the field: the defending champion remains firmly in the hunt for a historic third consecutive US Open crown.