New York, September 4 (Daily Kiran) : Aryna Sabalenka, the top seed and two-time defending champion, continued her impressive run at the US Open by defeating Kamila Rakimova 6-3, 6-4 in the third round on Friday at Louis Armstrong Stadium in New York.
Dressed in a vibrant orange kit under the bright sun, Sabalenka showcased her powerful game against the world number 92. This victory marks her fifth consecutive year advancing to the fourth round of the tournament.
Before this match, Sabalenka had not faced significant challenges, losing only eight games across her first two matches and spending just 2 hours and 35 minutes on the court.
Sabalenka started strong, breaking Rakimova’s serve early to take a 2-1 lead. The 25-year-old from Uzbekistan appeared under pressure against the top-seeded player. Despite trailing 5-3, Rakimova fought back, winning a crucial service game and attempting to challenge Sabalenka with her strong returns and varied shots.
However, Sabalenka maintained complete control of her serve, winning the first set 6-3 in just 35 minutes. She hit four aces and did not commit a single double fault, winning 81% of her first serve points. Throughout the set, Rakimova was unable to break Sabalenka’s serve and faced no break points.
Sabalenka has a solid track record against Rakimova, having defeated her three times previously, including straight-set victories at the French Open in 2023 and 2025. Although Rakimova pushed Sabalenka to three sets at a hard court tournament in Washington D.C. in 2024, the match ultimately ended in Sabalenka’s favor.
Rakimova also demonstrated her potential for upsets in this US Open, having knocked out two-time Grand Slam champion and 27th seed Barbora Krejcikova in the first round. Sabalenka’s next match will be against the winner of the third-round clash between Taylor Townsend and 15th seed Diana Schneider.
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