Aryna Sabalenka will be absolutely desperate to win the US Open this year.
After all, she is the defending champion, and will have pride on the line as well as another chance to extend her legacy.
However, there are alternative factors at play which must be considered; most crucially, the fact that she is yet to win a major in 2025.
Ironically enough, the Belarusian has reached the final of two of those tournaments, and the semi-finals most recently at Wimbledon, yet has lacked the necessary steel at the crucial moments to finish off the match.
She led by one set in Melbourne and Paris, yet saw success slip through her fingers.
Aryna Sabalenka cannot allow this to happen again in New York.
Aryna Sabalenka must win the US Open to avoid unwanted record
After all, if she is to fail to defend her title, there is far more on the line than just the trophy itself.
In fact, she will join an unwanted list which actually boasts some incredibly high-profile names, including American tennis legends like John McEnroe and Lindsay Davenport.
These players both share a sad commonality between their respective seasons in 1982 and 2005: they finished the year as world number one, yet failed to win a Grand Slam throughout that season.
Sabalenka is on track to achieve that same underwhelming feat, given the huge lead she holds at the top of the WTA rankings.
Nobody can catch her now, so it’s simply down to her to win the US Open to avoid joining this list.
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Davenport reached the final of the Australian Open and Wimbledon, and the quarter-finals in Paris and New York during that dreaded year.
McEnroe, meanwhile, lost to Jimmy Connors in the Wimbledon final, and fell in the semi-finals of the US Open.
Aryna Sabalenka withdraws from Montreal Open
Sabalenka’s preparation for the US Open has hit an instant snag though, with the 27-year-old having just pulled out of the Montreal Open, which starts later this month.
Citing fatigue, it’s understandable that she might want a longer break after the gruelling season she has endured thus far.
Not to mention the fact that she is without a Grand Slam success, despite being the dominant player thus far this year.
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It must take a physical and emotional toll.
So, whilst on paper pulling out of a tournament might seem worrying, in the long run this will surely benefit Sabalenka and allow her to return to New York fresher and more likely to enjoy a deep run.
Especially considering there are fears over how the New York crowd might react to her after the controversy surrounding Sabalenka’s comments about Coco Gauff after the French Open final.
Whether any scrutiny emerges, and how it affects her, remains to be seen