Aryna Sabalenka made a conscious effort not to let public opinion affect her ahead of her title defense at the 2026 US Open. The World No. 1 initially gave curt responses when questioned about her form before opening up about her mindset and approach to navigating her recent slump. Nevertheless, she remained confident in her ability to “come back stronger” after a difficult stretch.
Aryna Sabalenka Brushes Off Public Opinion Ahead of the US Open
Sabalenka’s 2026 season began with plenty of promise but has since taken a surprising dip. She opened the year by winning the Brisbane International and reaching her fourth consecutive Australian Open final, having claimed the Melbourne title in 2023 and 2024.
Following a brief break, she completed the Sunshine Double with victories at Indian Wells and Miami. But her momentum quickly faded as the tour moved onto clay. The World No. 1 has failed to reach a single final in her seven tournaments since then. Her most recent campaigns at the Canadian Open and Cincinnati Open ended with fourth-round defeats.
During her pre-tournament press conference at the US Open, Sabalenka was asked by a reporter, “Whenever someone at your level doesn’t have the results the last couple tournaments, people want to say, ‘What’s wrong with Aryna?’ And you did look frustrated in your last match in Cincinnati. Is there anything wrong with your game?”
The player bluntly responded, “Maybe there’s something wrong with people.”
The reporter then asked whether she was heading into the 2026 tournament with the same level of confidence she had a year ago. She said, “Always confident.”
Sabalenka admitted that her performances have fallen short of expectations when asked to reflect on her recent on-court form.
“That’s the beauty of a sport. Throw tough challenges at me; I will come back only stronger. It wasn’t the best period. I don’t want to defend myself, but, obviously, I just don’t want to talk about that period. I’ve been dealing with several things, but who cares, right? So yeah, I didn’t perform my best.”
“These tough lessons are definitely going to make me way, way stronger. I’m working even harder. I work on my mental side of the game. I was trying to reset my mind and to come back stronger. So it’s only going to make me stronger. It’s only a matter of time for me to come back,” she added.
As Sabalenka looks to rediscover her best form, her efforts at the US Open could prove to be too little, too late. Her World No. 1 ranking is under serious threat, with Elena Rybakina closing in on the top spot. She can retain her position only by completing a hat-trick of US Open titles, provided Rybakina fails to reach the semifinals. Meanwhile, Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula are also in contention for the No. 1 ranking under the same conditions.
Sabalenka will therefore be eager to put together a clinical title defense when she begins her campaign on Monday, August 31, against Colombia’s Camila Osorio.
