Lost in Melbourne. Lost in Paris. Lost in London. That’s been pretty much the reality for World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka in 2025. The three-time slam queen has failed to capture even one major title this year. “Losing sucks,” she confessed when she missed a third-straight shot at her fourth slam at Wimbledon last month, thanks to a shocking semifinal loss to Amanda Anisimova. “You always feel like you want to die, you don’t want to exist anymore, and this is the end of your life.” Now that the last slam of the season, in New York, is approaching, the Belarusian’s form has become the biggest concern. So much so, that notable WTA icons believe she may not have a ‘cake-walk ride’ at the Flushing Meadows.

This week, Sabalenka looked ready to defend her Cincinnati crown from last season. However, that, too, slipped through her fingers, as Elena Rybakina, who trailed her 4-7 in H2H clashes, beat her in the quarterfinal. With a score line of 6-1, 6-4, in just 1 hour and 14 minutes, the Kazakh star entered her maiden semifinal at the WTA 1000 event.

Naturally, ahead of the US Open, the journey looks bleak for Sabalenka going forward. Cincinnati was the last main event for her to get back in peak form. However, now it seems she will have a tough time defending her 2024 Grand Slam trophy as well. During a segment of Tennis Channel, former WTA pro Coco Vandeweghe made a concerning remark on Sabalenka’s chances at the U.S. Open. According to her, “She’s been so close but has fallen short so many times. She’s been World No.1; she’s the one who’s supposed to have all these titles. And I just feel like losing a couple Grand Slam finals and losing early now, considering this is an early loss for World No.1, I think we gotta call question marks as to where she’s at.”

Vandeweghe stressed on the “beating that Rybakina gave her, it was just like she didn’t even have a say so in what was happening out there. And for a big hitter, that is definitely a gut check of ‘Okay well I just got outplayed in my own game style. Now what do I do?'”

Meanwhile, another ex-WTA icon Lindsay Davenport raised doubts on Sabalenka’s Slam-winning abilities. “She’s now going into the last major of the year, and she’s not won one yet this year. So, even more pressure on her.” While highlighting an inevitable weakness, Davenport revealed, “She got outhit. Her backhand is a little bit of a mess right now. She’s gonna have to figure out some technique there, use her legs more but way too many errors from that side.”

It seems the defeat at the hands of Rybakina may have exposed Sabalenka’s vulnerable side right before the US Open. Guess what? The Kazakh star herself spilled the beans on what allowed her to take full control of the match against the Belarusian.

Cincinnati rival reveals how she beat Aryna Sabalenka at her own game

From the get-go, Elena Rybakina didn’t give Aryna Sabalenka any chance. Compared to her 11 aces, the World No.1 could hit only four throughout the encounter. Not to mention the World No.10 won 81 percent of her first serve points. And she saved all five of her break points, too, against the Belarusian.

On the other hand, Sabalenka was able to win only 65 percent of points on her first serve while failing to create any chances of break points. Since it was a battle of two big servers, Rybakina had come prepared on what she needed to do exactly. Spilling the beans on her secret to success against Sabalenka, she said, “I’m happy with the serve. It was the key… We’re both big hitters. Today I served really well. If Aryna serves well, it’s completely different.”

In the next few days, the US Open will commence, and Sabalenka must overcome her on-court issues to come out victorious once again in New York. Do you think she can make it happen with a strong comeback at the Flushing Meadows? Let us know in the comments below.