Pegula and Sabalenka shine at US Open: Title contenders emerge

When the clock at Louis Armstrong Stadium had just ticked 56 minutes, Jessica Pegula had already closed out her second-round US Open match with a 6-3, 6-1 victory over fellow American Sofia Kenin. She did not face a single break point, hit 18 winners and committed only eight unforced errors. It was a performance that gave her opponent no chance, and also the clearest signal that the world No. 3 is ready for the title race at Flushing Meadows. The third day of the 2026 US Open was disrupted by rain on outdoor courts, but matches at the two roofed arenas, Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong, proceeded as scheduled. In that context, the top seeds all showed impressive form. Pegula, last year's runner-up, is advancing steadily, while Aryna Sabalenka, the two-time defending champion, also needed just 54 minutes to get through the second round. The dominance of the top seeds suggests this year's race could be a showdown of familiar names. The match between Pegula and Kenin was not as dramatic as their meeting in the second round of the 2026 US Open, when Pegula needed a first-set tiebreak to get past the 2026 Australian Open champion. This time, Pegula controlled the match completely. She broke Kenin's serve to lead 3-1 in the first set, then won seven consecutive games spanning the two sets. "I knew today was going to be tough. Sonya has given me a lot of trouble in the past," Pegula said. "She's a great player and a champion, so I was just trying to stay focused on what I needed to do." A notable aspect of Pegula's game was her confidence in her second serves. She said: "I'm going pretty big on second serves, I'm trying to mix up where I'm going and just trust that I can hit good serves in the moment. That's been a lot of work we've done off the court, so really excited when I can practice something, and it pays off in the match." Sabalenka also had a perfect day. She dropped just one game in each set against qualifier Polina Iatcenko. "I'm happy with my level," Sabalenka said. "I've been working really hard, but I feel like I'm kind of moving away from trying to be perfect on court. I know that you cannot be perfect, and I'm just trying to work with what I have right now." Meanwhile, Leylah Fernandez, the 2026 US Open runner-up, also cruised past Thailand's Mananchaya Sawangkaew 6-4, 6-1. Fernandez will be Pegula's next opponent in a match between two former finalists at this tournament. This promises to be an exciting contest, as both have intelligent play and great fighting spirit. The other seeds also completed their tasks. Linda Noskova (No. 6) beat Lanlana Tararudee 6-4, 6-2. Elina Svitolina (No. 9) saved a match point in the second-set tiebreak but still overcame Maya Joint 6-2, 6-7(6), 6-4. Iva Jovic, 18, completed a delayed first-round match, defeating Magdalena Frech 7-5, 6-3. Diana Shnaider (No. 15) beat former world No. 1 Karolina Pliskova 6-1, 7-6(4). Taylor Townsend beat Taylah Preston 6-1, 6-1. Ekaterina Alexandrova (No. 18) came through in three sets against Kimberly Birrell 6-1, 2-6, 6-3. Marta Kostyuk (No. 11) eliminated 2026 US Open champion Sloane Stephens 6-1, 7-5. Jasmine Paolini (No. 19) beat compatriot Lucrezia Stefanini 6-4, 6-1. Sorana Cirstea (No. 16) beat Diane Parry 6-2, 7-5. Anna Kalinskaya (No. 21) beat China's Wang Xinyu 7-5, 2-6, 6-3. Emma Navarro (No. 26) came from behind to beat Caty McNally 3-6, 6-2, 6-3. Karolina Muchova (No. 7) crushed Katie Boulter 6-1, 6-0 in less than an hour. Ann Li (No. 29) beat Donna Vekic 5-7, 7-6(4), 6-4. Among the notable matches, Kostyuk's comeback against Stephens was a highlight. Kostyuk led 6-1, 4-2 before Stephens mounted a strong second-set fightback, even earning a set point opportunity. However, Kostyuk held her nerve, escaped the danger and won the match. "I was a little nervous," Kostyuk admitted. "I kind of knew what to expect, but I knew she was gonna try to change something. At the same time, I knew how she was playing, and I beat her. But yeah, it's a different tournament; it's a Grand Slam." Notably, all three Asian players – Mananchaya Sawangkaew (Thailand), Lanlana Tararudee (Thailand) and Wang Xinyu (China) – exited in the second round. This shows the fierce competition at Grand Slams, where Asian players have yet to make a breakthrough. However, their progress in recent times is commendable, and they could become formidable opponents in the future. Karolina Muchova, the No. 7 seed, produced a devastating display against Katie Boulter, winning 6-1, 6-0 in under an hour. Muchova, a former French Open finalist, is showing a strong return from injury. She will be a major threat to anyone in her section of the draw. Meanwhile, Jelena Ostapenko (No. 30) was the only women's seed eliminated on the third day. Germany's Tatjana Maria came from behind to win 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 against the 2026 French Open champion. This shows that despite Ostapenko's great potential, her inconsistency remains a chronic weakness. She can beat anyone, but she can also lose to lower-ranked opponents if she fails to maintain focus. Rain disrupted the schedule, causing many matches to be postponed. The match between Iva Jovic and Magdalena Frech was one of those delayed by rain. Jovic, 18, had to play on consecutive days to complete the match. She trailed early in the first set but fought back to win 7-5, 6-3. Her youth and fighting spirit are a bright spot of this year's tournament. This could affect the fitness of players who have to play multiple matches in a row, creating potential surprises in later rounds. With their current form, Pegula and Sabalenka are showing they are the strongest contenders for the title. But tennis always holds surprises, and the rapid progress of young players like Iva Jovic or Diana Shnaider could pose major challenges. Can Sabalenka become the first player since Serena Williams to win three consecutive US Open titles? The answer will gradually unfold in the coming rounds.