Aryna Sabalenka, the world number one, beat Kamilla Rakhimova 6-3, 6-4 in 90 minutes to reach the fourth round of the US Open.
Rakhimova, ranked 92nd, had never beaten Sabalenka before. The two had met three times previously, with the Belarusian winning all three, and she made it four straight with Thursday's victory.
Sabalenka arrived at the match having won her first two rounds at Flushing Meadows against Camila Osorio and Polina Yatsenko in a combined 141 minutes on court. Her last tournament win came at Miami on March 28, 2026, and her form has dipped since then, with her lead atop the WTA rankings narrowing. She is defending 2,000 ranking points at this year's US Open.
A Dominant First Set
Sabalenka's first set was close to perfect. She won almost every point behind her first serve while Rakhimova tried a variety of returns without success. Eurosport commentators said during the match that Sabalenka would be difficult to beat while serving at that level.
Sabalenka broke the Uzbek-born Rakhimova, who represents Russia, in just the second game. The match tightened slightly after that, though Sabalenka remained untroubled on her own serve. The closest Rakhimova came was in the seventh game, a 12-point battle in which she still failed to earn a single break point. Sabalenka pulled away to lead 5-2 and served out the set 6-3 in 36 minutes, firing four aces and winning 17 of 21 points on her first serve.
Second Set Tightens
The second set began far more nervously for Sabalenka. She struggled to close out the opening game and, unlike in the first set, hit a double fault along the way, needing almost 10 minutes to go up 1-1. She then earned two break points in the following game but rushed her chances and failed to convert, a pattern that repeated in the fifth game as Rakhimova continued to compete on level terms.
Neither player could find a break, and the set looked to be heading toward a tie-break. Sabalenka had other ideas. Facing a 40-15 deficit on Rakhimova's serve, she leveled the game and then broke through, moving ahead 5-4 and serving for the match. She converted after one hour and 30 minutes of play, sealing the 6-3, 6-4 victory.
What Comes Next
Sabalenka will face either Taylor Townsend or Diana Shnaider in the fourth round. The two Americans' match was scheduled to be played later the same evening.
