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Sabalenka begins Open hat-trick charge, Osaka wows fans
Amy Tennery • September 1st, 2026 6:00 pm
Aryna Sabalenka has launched her US Open title defence with a swift victory over Camila Osorio | Photo: EPA
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka has swatted aside US Open first-round opponent Camila Osorio 6-2 6-4, making a confident start to her quest for a rare "three-peat" at the year's final major.
The Belarusian has been trying to turn around a dismal second half of the season, having failed to reach a final since winning at Indian Wells and the Miami Open to complete the Sunshine Double in March.
She seemed well on her way to flipping the script with the crowd on her side at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Sabalenka, who will join Serena Williams and Chris Evert as the only women to win three straight US Opens in the professional era, fired off 32 winners to set up a meeting with Russian Polina Iatcenko in the second round.
Aryna Sabalenka cut a dash in New York as she kicked off day two's play on Arthur Ashe stadium | Photo: AP
"I'm super happy with the level I played," said Sabalenka. "I feel like this is one of my favourite stadiums, I really experienced the best emotions here on this stadium."
Osorio handed Sabalenka a break with a double fault in the third game - one of five she had across the opening set - and slipped 4-1 behind as the Belarusian converted on another break point with an unreturnable backhand.
The Colombian trimmed the lead to 4-2 in the next game but never got a hold of the momentum and her racket went flying in her futile attempt to reach Sabalenka's perfectly placed drop shot on break point in the seventh game.
After trading early breaks in the second set, Sabalenka wore down her opponent's defence to secure the pivotal break in the ninth game, before closing it out with an unreturnable serve and a subdued celebration.
Sabalenka is also defending her 99-week long world No.1 ranking in New York, with three other players in the women's main draw in a position to overtake her.
Amanda Anisimova, the player beaten in last year's final, breezed past Ashlyn Krueger 6-1 6-3.
Playing on her 25th birthday, Anisimova fought off three break points early for a 2-1 lead before running away with the opening set in the all-American match-up at Louis Armstrong Stadium.
The world No. 10 won in 72 minutes and she nows meets Austrian Lilli Tagger in the second round.
Elsewhere, seventh seed Karolina Muchova, the Wimbledon runner-up, thrashed Sinja Kraus 6-3 6-0 and now meets Alex de Minaur's wife, Katie Boulter.
Another Briton, Harriet Dart, beat home hope Peyton Stearns 3-6 6-3 6-2 clinching victory on her fourth match point and next plays 25th-seed Marie Bouzkova who beat Elsa Jacquemot 6-2 6-2.
Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen, who was forced to go through qualifying two years after reaching the quarter-finals in New York, beat Kristina Liutova 4-6 6-3 6-1.
Spain's Cristina Busca put out 28th-seed Sara Bejlek 7-5 4-6 6-1 but Emma Navarro, seeded 26 progressed.
Naomi Osaka unveiled another bold grand slam walk-on outfit before the two-time champion battled to a 7-6 (8-6) 7-6 (7-3) victory over unseeded Russian Anastasia Zakharova to reach the second round.
Osaka has been the fashion highlight of this year's majors and entered Arthur Ashe Stadium in a hooded tunic featuring patchwork-style panels adorned with press clippings from past tournament appearances and a billowing white tulle train.
Naomi Osaka before her clash with Russia's Anastasia Zakharova | Photo: AP
At Wimbledon, she paid tribute to her Japanese heritage with a kimono-inspired ensemble featuring a traditional kanzashi hair ornament before changing into a white playing kit.
At Roland Garros, she arrived in a black Kevin Germanier skirt and competed in a layered yellow, brown and gold outfit inspired by the Eiffel Tower's nighttime sparkle.
Her look at the Australian Open took its cues from a jellyfish.
Competing at Flushing Meadows in an Allen Iverson-inspired outfit, the four-time grand slam champion looked set for a straightforward victory after racing into a 4-1 lead, only for world number 101 Zakharova to force a tiebreak.
"It's my tribute to Iverson," Osaka said of the NBA Hall of Famer. "I really like him a lot.
"I like expressing myself through clothes and I'm glad you guys appreciate it."
- Reuters
