The "insane" US Open stat Aryna Sabalenka is trying to ignore: “Should we try to change it?”

NEW YORK — Aryna Sabalenka is on a mission in New York.

The world No. 1 may be juggling sponsor shoots, practice sessions, and even a little vlogging, but her top priority is defending her US Open title—and chasing a fourth Grand Slam trophy.

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Last season, Sabalenka capped off a memorable year with two major wins, lifting trophies at the Australian Open and the US Open. This time, though, she arrives at Flushing Meadows with unfinished business. She has reached two Grand Slam finals this year—in Melbourne and Paris—but has yet to secure a major in 2025.

She’s hardly gone trophy-less, winning 1000-level titles in Miami and Madrid, but history shows just how tough this US Open challenge could be.

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It’s been 10 years since Serena Williams won her sixth US Open—and her third in a row—to become the last woman to defend the singles trophy. Since then, the women’s event has crowned a new champion almost every year, with names like Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek, Naomi Osaka, and Emma Raducanu all breaking through. Osaka is the only one to win twice (2018 and 2020), but not back-to-back.

Sabalenka knows the numbers—and she’s trying not to think about them.

Q. What are your thoughts when you realized that over the last 11 years there have been 10 different women's singles champions here?

ARYNA SABALENKA: My thought is to change that (smiling). My hopes, I'd say.

You know, I never actually even saw that, you know? I was trying to ignore this statistic.

But, wow, that's insane how unpredictable woman tennis is, right? Should we change it?

Thankfully for Sabalenka, she does have experience defending a major. The Belarusian broke through with her first Slam at the 2023 Australian Open, then returned a year later to win the title again—without dropping a set. Still, she admits New York always feels different.

“I think it’s a lot of pressure, definitely. This place is so big, and it feels bigger than the other Slams in some ways,” she said. “Maybe defending champions put too much pressure on themselves. But I feel like I’m experienced enough to just focus on myself and try to replicate that result.”

Sabalenka, the top seed, opens her title defense Sunday against Switzerland’s Rebeka Masarova, ranked No. 109.