On the US Open courts on September 4, 2026, Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz confidently advanced to the fourth round, reminding that defending a title is not just a series of victories, but a daily battle with doubts and physical limitations.
Sabalenka, the reigning champion, dealt with Uzbek tennis player Kamilla Rakhimova with a score of 6-3, 6-4, not conceding a single break point and recording 10 aces. Alcaraz, returning after a nearly five-month break due to a wrist injury, routed Chinese player Wu Yibing 6-3, 6-4, 6-1, extending his winning streak in Grand Slams to 17 matches.
These results quell pre-tournament concerns: for Alcaraz after a long absence, for Sabalenka regarding form. Both players show that in big tennis, the key to success lies not only in technique but also in the ability to quickly regain rhythm under the pressure of expectations.
Alcaraz, like a boxer after a long layoff, stepped into the ring and immediately showed that his punching power has not gone anywhere: he controlled the pace, varied the length of his shots, and did not allow his opponent to impose his game. Sabalenka, despite complaints about the smell of cannabis on the court, remained focused, turning every match into a demonstration of serving power and aggression from the baseline.
Behind these victories lies not only current form. For Alcaraz, this is a step toward repeating as champion—for the first time since the Federer era. For Sabalenka, it is a chance to become the first in two decades to win the US Open three times in a row. Their path intersects with the interests of sponsors, federations, and fans hungry for spectacle.
As the old saying goes: "Who does not risk, does not drink champagne." These matches show that in modern tennis, those who can turn vulnerability into advantage survive.
Their confident progress raises the question about the future: will they be able to repeat their success, or will new names rewrite the history of Flushing Meadows.
