Sabalenka's Struggles Cast Shadow Over Defense
Aryna Sabalenka arrives in New York as both world No. 1 and defending US Open champion, but a turbulent summer has left serious questions about her form. After sweeping the so-called Sunshine Double at Indian Wells and Miami earlier in the year, she looked like the clear dominant force in women's tennis. That momentum has since collapsed. Painful early exits at the French Open and Wimbledon, followed by poor results at the Toronto and Cincinnati hardcourt events, have fueled growing doubts about her mental resilience.
Former British No. 1 and one-time US Open finalist Greg Rusedski was blunt in his assessment on his talkSPORT podcast, saying he does not believe Sabalenka can turn things around in time. He pointed out that many expected her to have collected multiple Grand Slam titles by this stage of the season after her Australian Open final appearance, but that window appears to have closed. With Iga Swiatek winning in Canada and Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula both reaching the Cincinnati final, Rusedski described the women's draw as completely wide open.
Eala Tipped to Surpass Wimbledon Heroics
While Rusedski was downbeat on Sabalenka, he was full of enthusiasm for 21-year-old Alex Eala. The Filipino star made history at Wimbledon by reaching the fourth round, the best result ever for a player from the Philippines at a Grand Slam. Rusedski called Eala a genuine superstar in the making, describing her as a breath of fresh air for the entire tour. He expects her seeding at the US Open to help her navigate the early rounds before she pushes even deeper into the draw, potentially reaching the quarterfinals or beyond.
TennisDraw users have been closely tracking Eala's bracket potential heading into Flushing Meadows, making her one of the more intriguing picks this fortnight.
