Sabalenka's Quest for a US Open Three-Peat: A View from the Practice Courts

Flushing Meadows has its own rhythm, and Aryna Sabalenka is blending into it perfectly. But people look at the 6-3, 6-2 scoreline against Kamilla Rakhimova in the third round and see an easy victory. I look at my stopwatch and see the second set lasting 54 minutes – longer than her entire previous match. That is where the real story begins. The practice courts have no spectators, but every answer lies there. When I arrived at the world No. 1's practice area on Thursday morning, the atmosphere showed no sign of the pressure a defending champion faces. Instead, there was a quiet focus, almost the calm of someone who has experienced everything on the biggest stages. Sabalenka is chasing a third consecutive US Open title, a feat only a few legends like Serena Williams have accomplished (2026-2026). The 54-minute second set is a signal that those who only look at the scoreline will miss. Rakhimova, though ranked outside the top 100, raised her level significantly. She forced Sabalenka to work harder, to move more, to think more. This is not necessarily a bad thing – it is like a midterm test before the final exam. In my forty-page notebook, I noted: "Second set, Rakhimova stood deeper to return serve, Sabalenka lost rhythm in the early games, but then she adjusted by serving into the opponent's body." What matters is not that she won, but how she handled the resistance. Sabalenka is no longer the player who only relies on raw power like in her younger days. At 26, she has become a more complete player, knowing how to conserve energy, read the match, and when to accelerate. That is the maturity of a champion who has already triumphed here twice. This year's tournament has a nostalgic touch with Venus and Serena Williams appearing in the doubles draw. They are 40 years old, past their prime, but their presence still creates a unique appeal. Their doubles match on Friday night will certainly attract a lot of media attention, but competitively, it is a completely different story. I have witnessed too many Grand Slams to know that nostalgic stories like this are usually just an appetizer; the main course remains the battle in the singles draw. Another detail I noted was Sorana Cirstea's win over No. 19 seed Jasmine Paolini. Cirstea, 36, is contemplating retirement after this season. She can still play at a high level, but the mentality of someone about to leave the sport is always a variable. Sometimes it unleashes power, sometimes it creates distraction. I will monitor her press conference comments in the coming rounds. Back to Sabalenka. Her schedule is a sensible one for a top player – one match per day, no surface disruption. Her potential round-of-16 opponent is Diana Shnaider (No. 15 seed) or Taylor Townsend. Both are rising young players, but not top-5 threats. However, I have learned that at a Grand Slam, no match is easy, and complacency is the most dangerous enemy. One of my favorite aspects of this job is observing how players handle the pressure of defending points. Sabalenka must defend 2,000 points from last year's title. Theoretically, if she loses early, her ranking could suffer significantly. But watching her move on the practice court, watching her talk to her coaching team, I see no sign of anxiety. There is a confidence built on victories, not on empty words. The truth is, this year's title race has many potential contenders. But when everyone looks at the ball, I only see the directing hand from the sideline. Sabalenka is in a position where she can control her own destiny. She has the power, the experience, and the necessary calm. The only remaining question is whether she can maintain this form over two long weeks. Critics often say Sabalenka's game relies too much on power. They say that when opponents find a way to neutralize that power, she will be in trouble. But they have missed something crucial: Sabalenka has evolved. She is no longer just a ball-striking machine. She has learned to construct points, use angles, and control the tempo. The 54-minute second set is proof that she can adapt when things do not go her way. The practice courts have no spectators, but every answer lies there. And Sabalenka's answer this week is: she is ready. Not ready in a boastful way, but ready in a quiet, focused, and determined manner. That, to me, is more frightening than any winner.