NEW YORK -- Aryna Sabalenka had a successful start to her US Open title defense, beating Camila Osorio 6-4, 6-4 on Monday to begin her bid to be the first player to win three straight US Open championships since Serena Williams in 2012-14.
Sabalenka has been to the past three US Open finals, rebounding from a loss to Coco Gauff in 2023 by winning in 2024 and then topping Amanda Anisimova last year to repeat.
"I feel like this is one of my favorite stadiums," Sabalenka told the crowd afterward. "I really experienced the best emotions here in this stadium."
Monday marked Sabalenka's 16th consecutive straight-sets win in the opening round of majors; the last time she was pushed to a deciding set in a first-round major match was at the 2022 French Open.
Sabalenka changed up her look from last time she played on Arthur Ashe, after the outfit she wore in her mixed doubles match with Novak Djokovic drew commentary on social media. Sabalenka dismissed the comments, saying all that mattered was she loved it, and it turns out the reason for the change was simple.
"To be honest, I didn't know that I have a day dress," she said. "I thought I have a black dress with orange underneath. I figured [out] when I went to Nike that I actually have day session and night session, which is just like black and orange for the day."
Sabalenka was back playing her high level of tennis after a series of poor events coming into the US Open. She was knocked out in the fourth round in Toronto and Cincinnati after being ousted at the same point at Wimbledon.
That has left Sabalenka needing help to retain the No. 1 ranking, even if she wins again in New York. No. 2 Elena Rybakina will pass her if she reaches the semifinals and won't even need to win any matches if Sabalenka fails to earn the title.
Sabalenka will play Polina Iatcenko in the second round.
Also moving on in the night session was No. 8 seed Iga Swiatek, who beat Wang Xiyu 6-2, 6-3 to improve to 30-1 (.968 win percentage) in the opening round of majors, with her lone loss coming at 2019 Wimbledon. That's the fourth-best record in first-round major matches by any woman in the Open era.
Swiatek didn't face a break point in nine service games and dropped only four points on her serve in the second set (20 of 24).
Other winners Monday included No. 6 Linda Noskova, the Wimbledon champion, and No. 7 seed Karolina Muchova, who lost to her fellow Czech in the final at the All-England Club. Sara Bejlek, another Czech and the No. 28 seed who stunned Sabalenka in Cincinnati, fell in three sets to Cristina Bucsa.
Amanda Anisimova, the No. 10 seed who celebrated her 25th birthday Monday, defeated fellow American Ashlyn Krueger 6-1, 6-3.
Another American, 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens, defeated Clara Tauson 6-4, 6-1 to end a career-worst five-match losing streak in majors. It was Stephens' first match win at a Slam since 2024 Wimbledon against Elsa Jacquemot.
American Emma Navarro, the No. 26 seed, outlasted Lois Boisson 7-6 (6), 6-7 (1), 6-3 in a first-round match that began Sunday but was not completed until Monday because of rain.
An ESPN camera captured the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat in one shot. As Navarro pumped her fist toward the crowd, Boisson could be seen behind her smashing her racket repeatedly to the court.
Other Americans to move on included Taylor Townsend and Caty McNally.
ESPN Research and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
