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Aryna Sabalenka’s dream of completing a three-peat at the year’s final Grand Slam, the US Open, suffered another blow when she lost her fourth-round match against 20-year-old Czech Sara Bejlek at the Cincinnati Open. The World No. 1 crumbled under pressure against a lower-ranked opponent, squandering a 5-1 lead in the first-set tiebreak and then throwing away a 4-1 advantage in the second set before losing 7-6 (9-7), 6-4. With New York just days away, Sabalenka’s aura has taken a serious hit and, more worryingly, the question of whether the Belarusian has mentally checked out is becoming harder to ignore.
The defeat also leaves Sabalenka’s position at the top of the WTA rankings vulnerable, with Elena Rybakina able to take over the No. 1 spot by reaching the Cincinnati final. More importantly for Sabalenka, her recent results offer little evidence that she is ready to defend the US Open crown for a third successive year. She had already suffered an early exit in Toronto, and the Cincinnati loss means her final tournament before New York has ended in another disappointment. For a player whose greatest strength has often been her mentality in the biggest moments, Sabalenka’s recent run raises quite a few eyebrows: has her hunger to win diminished?
Sabalenka’s US Open 2026 Preparations Suffer Huge Blow
The Cincinnati defeat is the latest entry in an increasingly worrying run. Sabalenka’s Toronto campaign also ended early, and she has now failed to reach a final since completing the Sunshine Double in Miami in March.
That matters because the Belarusian is chasing history in New York. Sabalenka is bidding to become the first woman since Serena Williams in 2014 to win three consecutive US Open titles. But instead of building momentum, she arrives in New York with questions over her form, confidence and, increasingly, her mindset.
Sabalenka’s Decline After Winning the Sunshine Double in March
The contrast with March could hardly be greater. Sabalenka won Indian Wells and Miami to complete the Sunshine Double, becoming only the fifth woman to achieve the feat.
Since then, however, the trajectory has changed dramatically. She lost in the quarterfinals of the 2026 French Open and was beaten by Naomi Osaka in the fourth round at Wimbledon. After that Wimbledon defeat, Sabalenka offered perhaps the clearest glimpse into her state of mind.
“I don’t even want to think about rankings at this point. I just want to go, get completely drunk, forget about tennis, and try to get in better shape.”
Aryna Sabalenka Highlights and 2026 Season Record
Sabalenka’s 2026 season began spectacularly. She won Brisbane, then reached the Australian Open final before losing to Elena Rybakina. She followed that with the Indian Wells-Miami Sunshine Double, putting herself firmly at the centre of the women’s game.
But the record since Miami tells another story: French Open — quarterfinals; Wimbledon — fourth round; Toronto — early exit; Cincinnati — fourth round.
2026 highlights: Brisbane champion, Australian Open runner-up, Indian Wells champion, Miami champion and Sunshine Double winner.
The US Open now represents more than another Grand Slam. It is Sabalenka’s biggest test of character since the Sunshine Double, and perhaps the clearest opportunity to prove that the player who dominated New York has not disappeared.