Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka look to avoid unfortunate US Open fate last faced by Emma Raducanu
Twelve months ago, Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka lifted the US Open title for the first time.
Now, both Sinner and Sabalenka are back in New York and are among the favourites to lift the men’s and women’s singles titles, respectively, once again.
Usually, you can back the defending champions at any Grand Slam tournament to go deep into the draw, and it certainly seems like both Sinner and Sabalenka will be in contention come the latter stages of the event.
However, it is not always guaranteed: just ask Emma Raducanu.
Only three years ago, Raducanu joined an unfortunate club of reigning US Open champions to fall at the first hurdle of their title defence.
It’s a small club, but one that exists, and at least one defending champion has fallen in the opening round at all four Grand Slams.
The last reigning Grand Slam champion at any of the four majors to lose in round one was Marketa Vondrousova, who was beaten in the opening round of her Wimbledon title defence in 2024.
Here, we look at the unfortunate US Open club that Sinner and Sabalenka will both hope to avoid joining, and who could see them make shock history.
The defending champions to lose in Round 1
Including Raducanu, four players in the Open Era have been beaten in the opening round of their US Open title defence. They are:
Emma Raducanu (2022): Twelve months after making history as the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam title, Raducanu was brought back down to earth with a 6-3, 6-3 loss to the experienced Alize Cornet.
Angelique Kerber (2017): After a stunning 2016 season, former world No 1 Kerber struggled throughout 2017, and a 6-3, 6-1 loss to future US Open champion Naomi Osaka in her New York title defence only added to her woes.
Svetlana Kuznetsova (2005): After beating compatriot Elena Dementieva to become the first Russian woman to win the title in 2004, an injury-affected Kuznetsova was stunned 6-3, 6-2 by Ekaterina Bychkova in 2005.
Pat Rafter (1999): After claiming back-to-back titles in 1997 and 1998, Rafter was forced to retire just one game into the final set of his 1999 opener versus Cedric Pioline due to a shoulder issue, having initially held a two-sets-to-love lead.
Who do Sinner and Sabalenka face?
On paper, both Sinner and Sabalenka are overwhelming favourites for their opening-round matches in New York.
However, tennis matches are never completed on paper, and you can never be 100% sure of the result until the match is over.
Looking to defend his US Open crown and win a fourth straight hard-court Grand Slam title, Sinner begins his campaign against Vit Kopriva.
The Czech is currently ranked 87th in the world and reached a career-high of world No 78 earlier this season, with a second-round showing at the French Open earlier this year.
Kopriva will be making his US Open main-draw debut, having previously lost in qualifying three times.
Meanwhile, looking to win her fourth major title overall, reigning women’s singles champion Sabalenka starts her title defence against Rebeka Masarova.
A former junior French Open champion, the Swiss reached a career-high of world No 62 in December 2023, though she is currently down at 109th in the WTA Rankings.
Masarova has twice reached the second round of the US Open, including a win over eighth seed Maria Sakkari back in 2023.
