Shaky Sabalenka and wide-open men’s draw set stage for US Open drama

Defending US Open champion Aryna Sabalenka arrives at Flushing Meadows in poor form after losing to Sára Bejlek in the third round of the Cincinnati Open, squandering leads of 5-1 in the first-set tiebreak and 4-1 in the second set. The straight-sets defeat extended her mediocre 17-7 record since early April, a stretch in which she has failed to reach a single final. Sabalenka, who has won the US Open on the last two occasions, now faces the tournament as her final opportunity to secure a Grand Slam title in 2024.