Aryna Sabalenka Defeats Camila Osorio to Begin US Open Title Defence in Style

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka has made a confident start to her US Open 2026 campaign, defeating Colombia’s Camila Osorio 6-2, 6-4 in the opening round at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The top seed needed just one hour and 27 minutes to get past the Colombian and immediately put her bid for a historic third consecutive US Open title on track. Sabalenka struck 32 winners and maintained control for much of the contest, although Osorio showed enough resistance in the second set to make the Belarusian work for her place in the next round.

Sabalenka Takes Control Early

The Sabalenka vs Osorio contest quickly developed into a demonstration of the world No. 1’s aggressive baseline tennis. Osorio struggled with her serve early, committing five double faults in the opening set, and Sabalenka immediately took advantage. A double fault handed Sabalenka a break in the third game, before another break helped the Belarusian move 4-1 ahead. With her powerful groundstrokes constantly pushing Osorio behind the baseline, Sabalenka closed out the first set 6-2 after 40 minutes.

The second set was considerably more competitive. Sabalenka broke early, but Osorio responded and refused to let the match slip away. The Colombian created opportunities of her own and threatened to take control, but Sabalenka showed the composure expected from a Grand Slam champion. She saved two break points at 3-3 before finding another gear late in the set. At 5-4, an Osorio backhand error gave Sabalenka the decisive break, and the top seed calmly served out the match to complete the 6-2, 6-4 victory.

A Strong Start Despite Recent Doubts

The Aryna Sabalenka US Open 2026 campaign comes at an important moment for the Belarusian. Despite remaining at the top of the rankings, Sabalenka entered New York after a difficult stretch in which she had struggled to reach the latter stages of tournaments. She had not reached a final since winning the Miami title in March and had suffered several frustrating defeats from winning positions.

That made her opening-round performance more significant than the scoreline alone suggests. Sabalenka did not need to produce flawless tennis; instead, she stayed aggressive, recovered when Osorio applied pressure and found the important points when they mattered most. Her 32 winners underlined the attacking style that has made her one of the most dangerous players on hard courts.

Sabalenka Chasing US Open History

For Sabalenka, this US Open first-round victory is about more than simply progressing through the draw. She is attempting to become only the third woman in the professional era to win three consecutive US Open singles titles, joining Serena Williams and Chris Evert. She also extended her winning streak at Flushing Meadows to 14 matches.

The stakes are even higher because her world No. 1 ranking is also under pressure during the tournament. With several leading contenders capable of overtaking her, Sabalenka needs a deep run to keep control of the top spot. Her opening victory therefore gives her both momentum and another opportunity to silence questions surrounding her recent form.

Osorio Fights but Falls Short

Camila Osorio entered the match knowing she faced one of the toughest challenges in women’s tennis, and while the Colombian struggled to match Sabalenka’s power consistently, she showed plenty of fight. Her stronger second-set display forced the top seed to defend break points and prevented the contest from becoming a one-sided affair. Ultimately, however, Sabalenka’s experience, serving and ability to produce decisive winners proved too much.

For Osorio, the defeat ends her run in the opening round, while Sabalenka moves forward with her US Open title defence intact. The victory also gives the Belarusian another chance to build confidence as the tournament enters the more demanding stages.

What Comes Next for Sabalenka?

Sabalenka will face Russia’s Polina Iatcenko in the second round. Iatcenko advanced after defeating Mexico’s Renata Zarazua 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(7). The road to a US Open three-peat is still long, but Sabalenka has taken the first step in convincing fashion. New York has become one of the defining stages of her career, and if her powerful tennis continues to sharpen as the tournament progresses, the reigning champion could once again become the player everyone wants to avoid. For now, the message from Arthur Ashe Stadium is simple: Sabalenka is here, she has started winning, and her title is still very much within reach.