Aryna Sabalenka, by her flawless standards, has endured a tough campaign this year.
After all, despite some incredible moments including titles at Indian Wells and Miami, her Grand Slam performances have been well below par.
Her loss to Elena Rybakina in the Australian Open final represents the only major final she has reached this year, having crashed out early in both Roland Garros and Wimbledon, where she entered as the favourite at both tournaments.
Despite this, she still holds a relatively healthy lead atop the world rankings, although that is set to be cut short in the coming months.
And, if she fails to win the US Open, a spot on an unwanted list awaits her.
The unwanted list that Aryna Sabalenka will want to avoid joining
Whilst this list may be unwanted, it does boast a star-studded line-up including some of the sport’s greatest-ever players.
However, that is to be expected when it involves players who have exclusively, at one point in their career, been the world’s top-ranked player.
How many Grand Slams will Aryna Sabalenka win this year?
She looks unstoppable right now!
That’s not to say that they deserved it at this period in time though, with these all having held that mantle despite not having won a major title in that given year.
On the WTA side, this involves Kim Clijsters in 2003, Jelena Janković in 2008 and Caroline Wozniacki in 2010 and 2011.
Lindsay Davenport represents arguably the most egregious example on this list though, and she even admitted that the WTA rankings system made little sense after she finished 2001 as the world number one despite having failed to make it to a major final.
“I don’t feel number one,” she claimed. “Venus [Williams] is the best. I think you have to say that the way she won Wimbledon and the U.S. Open makes her number one.”
The list is far smaller on the men’s side, although it does include Jimmy Connors following his 1975 campaign, John McEnroe in 1982, and Marcelo Rios in 1998. The Chilean remains the only player to have held the world number one ranking without ever winning a major title.
Despite this being an unwanted list, if she was to avoid joining it, Sabalenka could help make history at the US Open alongside Novak Djokovic.
Aryna Sabalenka’s Grand Slam results in 2026 so far
As referenced earlier, Aryna Sabalenka started her season impeccably well.
Winning the title in Brisbane, she maintained this sparkling form in Melbourne, reaching the final without dropping a set.
However, there she was beaten by Rybakina in a thrilling affair where either player could have justifiably emerged victorious.
Sabalenka’s clay-court season was uncharacteristically inconsistent though, and she headed to Paris in unpredictable form.
Aryna Sabalenka or Iga Swiatek… who do you prefer? 🤔
She shockingly crashed out in the quarter-finals to Diana Shnaider despite leading 6-4, 4-1, and later serving for the match at 5-4. The Belarusian lost the next ten games and the match.
Wimbledon was no better for her, losing rather comprehensively to Naomi Osaka in just the fourth round.
The only positive for Sabalenka is the fact that she endured similar struggles last year and still managed to finish strongly by winning the US Open.
