It took a while for Aryna Sabalenka to warm up to New York.
Those early-career visits to the borough of Queens usually ended with a loss in the qualifying rounds. And then there were the crowds, the noise, the general chaos that is the Van Wyck Expressway, the Cross Island Parkway, the Midtown Tunnel.
“I’d say the first times were really confusing, and I was just trying to find my way,” said Sabalenka. “I feel like everything takes a little time. It felt too big. I felt like the goal was too far, and a lot of work had to be done before I would be able to achieve my dream.”
That dream was finally realized last year, when Sabalenka outlasted American Jessica Pegula, 7-5, 7-5, for her first US Open crown. What a difference a title can make: Today, Sabalenka says the US Open is her favorite tournament.
“I don’t know, there is something special about the US Open, I have to say,” the 28-year-old asserted on Friday amid gathered media. “The atmosphere and the stadium, it’s insane. The support, the people who come watch you play; it’s just an incredible place. I love this place.”
From 2021 on, the 5-foot-11 power-baller kept inching toward her ultimate goal, never losing sight of the prize: semis (l. to Leylah Fernandez) semis (l. to Iga Swiatek), final (l. to Coco Gauff), championship (def. Pegula).
Sabalenka returns a year later, Slam-less on the season but still very much entrenched at No. 1 in the PIF WTA Rankings, a position she has now occupied for the past 44 weeks. She’s played with consistency throughout 2025, earning titles in Brisbane, Miami and Madrid, and insists the on-court lessons outweigh the big-stage disappointments.
“Ideally, I would love to finish the season with a Grand Slam and world No. 1. But if this goal is not going to be achieved, I still think that this season has been really amazing for me,” she explained. “All of those tough lessons that I learned are only going to make me stronger for the next one. I’ll work even harder in the preseason to make sure next year is going to be only a year of success.”
Informed that there have been 10 different US Open winners in the past 11 years, Sabalenka marveled at the stats, determined to defy the numbers.
“My thought is to change that,” she said with a grin. “That’s insane how unpredictable women’s tennis is, right? Maybe every time a defending champion comes in they put so much pressure on themselves. But I feel like I’m experienced enough to just focus on myself and try to replicate that result.”
“Being the defending champion is an amazing feeling. It gives you a lot of great vibes and a lot of excitement going into the tournament. It’s a very important tournament for me. Last Slam of the year. I learned a lot of tough lessons this season at the Grand Slams. I really hope for the best here, knowing how much I love to play here, knowing how much support I feel. It’s an amazing place.”
