Sabalenka begins US Open three-peat bid with straight-sets win

Aryna Sabalenka began her attempt to win a third consecutive US Open singles title with a 6-2, 6-4 first-round victory over Camila Osorio at Arthur Ashe Stadium. BBC Sport reported that the two-time defending champion completed the win in one hour and 28 minutes, avoiding an early setback against the Colombian world number 52.

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Sabalenka controlled the opening set but encountered more resistance in the second. Her first-serve percentage fell to 48% during that set and she made 12 unforced errors, giving Osorio opportunities to change the match. The four-time major singles champion nevertheless saved all three break points she faced.

With the second set level at 4-4, Sabalenka made the decisive move by breaking Osorio's serve. She then served out the match to secure her place in the second round. The result extended her title defence and set up a meeting with Russian qualifier Polina Iatcenko.

The victory comes after a recent dip in results following Sabalenka's strong start to the season. She reached the Australian Open final and won the Indian Wells and Miami titles to complete the Sunshine Double, building a 3,000-point advantage at the top of the world rankings after Miami. Earlier-than-expected exits at the French Open and Wimbledon subsequently reduced that margin.

Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina is now 434 points behind Sabalenka and is scheduled to face American wildcard Thea Frodin on Tuesday. Sabalenka is defending 2,000 ranking points in New York. According to the BBC's calculation, she must win the tournament and have Rybakina lose before the semi-finals to extend her 99-week spell as world number one. Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff could also reach number one by winning the title.

A tournament victory would place Sabalenka in rare company. She would become the third woman in the Open era to win three straight US Open singles championships, following Chris Evert and Serena Williams. Williams was the most recent player to achieve the feat, completing her run in 2014. Sabalenka's opening performance delivered the required result, while the competitive second set showed the challenge still ahead in a deep draw.