Aryna Sabalenka’s U.S. Open campaign got off to a rocky start, but the No. 2 seed rallied to defeat Ekaterina Alexandrova 2-6, 6-1, 6-2 in the third round. The match, which began at 12:07 a.m. and ended at 1:48 a.m., was the second-latest ending to a women’s match in U.S. Open history.
Sabalenka struggled early on, dropping the first set in just 30 minutes. However, she regained her composure in the second set, winning 10 straight games to take a commanding lead. Alexandrova briefly threatened a comeback in the third set, but Sabalenka held firm to secure the victory.
The late start was due to a lengthy match between Frances Tiafoe and Ben Shelton in the afternoon session. Under a new late-night match policy, the tournament referee has the discretion to move matches that haven’t started by 11:15 p.m. However, Sabalenka and Alexandrova remained on Arthur Ashe Stadium, despite the late hour.
Sabalenka expressed her frustration with the late start, saying she would prefer to play in the opener of the night session. However, she acknowledged that Alexandrova’s strong start had also contributed to the late finish.
“She just crushed it. She played so well,” Sabalenka said.
Despite the late night, Sabalenka remained optimistic about her chances in the tournament. She said she hoped to be in bed by 4 a.m. and sleep as long as she could.
“Technically, I did my practice session today, so I’m good for tomorrow, right?” she joked.
Sabalenka’s victory sets up a fourth-round clash with No. 33 seed Elise Mertens. The match is scheduled for Sunday.
