Belarusian says staying focused has become a physical and psychological challenge as Rybakina threatens her place at the top Aryna Sabalenka may be powering through the US Open draw, but the battle to remain the world's top-ranked women's player is proving difficult to shut out. The Belarusian has marched into the quarterfinals without dropping a set, producing four consecutive straight-set victories as she attempts to defend the title she won in New York last year. Yet behind that impressive run is the weight of knowing that her No. 1 ranking is at stake. Sabalenka entered the tournament with a straightforward but demanding scenario. World No. 2 Elena Rybakina can take over the top position simply by reaching the semifinals, while Sabalenka needs to successfully defend her US Open crown to have a chance of retaining the ranking. Rybakina remains in contention after winning her first three matches and will face Naomi Osaka in the fourth round on Monday. For Sabalenka, the challenge has not simply been about winning matches. She has also had to manage the psychological burden of competing under the knowledge that every stage of the tournament could affect the battle for No. 1. 'It is mentally and physically' tough Following her 6-4, 6-3 victory over Taylor Townsend on Sunday, Sabalenka gave a candid assessment of the pressure surrounding the ranking race. The 28-year-old acknowledged that while fans and observers may focus on the numbers and scenarios, they may not fully appreciate the mental effort required to put the ranking out of her mind once she steps onto the court. "Probably they don't understand how hard it is mentally and physically to keep up the level and mentally stay kind of like disconnected from that, because the moment you start thinking about that, like, you lose it. So probably they don't understand how tough mentally it is not to focus on that and, like, constantly focusing on improving yourself," the Belarusian tennis star admitted after beating Townsend. That balancing act has so far worked for Sabalenka. Rather than allowing the ranking permutations to derail her campaign, she has remained composed through the opening rounds, winning all four matches in straight sets and continuing to look like one of the tournament's strongest contenders. Sabalenka's long reign faces another test Sabalenka has been the WTA's No. 1 player continuously since October 2024. If she can navigate the US Open and remain at the top through September, she will move closer to completing two years at the summit of women's tennis. Her position, however, has been under repeated threat this season. The Belarusian has faced several opportunities for her rivals to replace her since the French Open, but each time she has managed to hold on. The latest challenge could prove particularly significant because Rybakina's route to No. 1 is relatively clear: reaching the semifinals in New York would be enough to move her above Sabalenka. That means every victory Sabalenka records is about more than simply advancing through the draw. She must continue winning while attempting to block out the implications of what those results mean for her ranking. Noskova stands between Sabalenka and the semifinals Sabalenka's next obstacle is reigning Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova. The Belarusian will enter the quarterfinal with confidence, having won both of her previous meetings with Noskova. But with the stakes increasing at every stage of the tournament, Sabalenka will again need to maintain the same mental discipline that has carried her through the first four rounds. For the world No. 1, the task is therefore twofold: continue producing her best tennis and somehow ignore the ranking battle unfolding alongside her title defence. So far, she has managed to do both. But with Rybakina still alive and the semifinals now within sight, the pressure is only set to intensify.
