Sabalenka Beats Rakhimova 6-3, 6-4 in Wild US Open Match

Smells Like Trouble: The Dramatic Interruption on Louis Armstrong Stadium

Aryna Sabalenka's third-round victory over Kamilla Rakhimova had plenty of fire, but it was an unexpected cloud of smoke that grabbed the headlines. While leading 2-0 in the opening set on the hard courts of Louis Armstrong Stadium, the top-ranked Belarusian stopped play entirely. Sabalenka complained of a strong, unmistakable smell of marijuana drifting onto the court, prompting chair umpire Eva Asderaki-Moore to immediately relay the message to tournament officials.

It is absolutely ridiculous that players at this level have to deal with outside odors disrupting their focus, but Sabalenka handled the officiating delay like a true champion. She didn't let the bizarre distraction derail her rhythm, keeping her focus locked on the task at hand. As we noted in our coverage of her early-round performances on the Second Serve Aces tournament tracker, her ability to block out external noise has become a defining feature of her recent campaigns.

Tactical Adjustments and the Decisive Second Set Surge

On the court, the tactical battle was won on the break points. Sabalenka converted three of her five break opportunities, leveraging her massive first serve to neutralize Rakhimova's resilient baseline counterpunching. Rakhimova, currently ranked No. 92 in the official WTA rankings, fought valiantly to stay in the rallies, but her 28 unforced errors compared to Sabalenka's clean 18-winner display proved to be the ultimate differentiator.

The defining tactical shift came in the second set. Sabalenka, realizing Rakhimova was successfully absorbing pace from deep behind the baseline, began pulling her opponent forward with short-angled slices before punishing the open court. By winning 80% of her first-serve points in the final three games, the four-time Grand Slam champion closed out the 6-3, 6-4 victory to book her place in the next round at the US Open, where she will face the winner of the Taylor Townsend and Diana Shnaider matchup.

Rivalry Matchup & Player Profiles

Sabalenka absolutely dominates this head-to-head rivalry, extending her perfect record to 4-0 with this straight-sets victory. Rakhimova's defensive skills make her a tough competitor, but she simply lacks the raw power required to hit through Sabalenka's heavy baseline aggression on fast hard courts.

This latest win solidifies Sabalenka's position as the tournament favorite, proving that neither stubborn defenders nor off-court distractions can easily break her resolve.