India, Aug. 22 -- The year's first hard court Grand Slam sprang up a rather surprising winner (Madison Keys) among women, followed by two champions on clay (Coco Gauff) and grass (Iga Swiatek) that weren't exactly obvious favourites to go all the way on that surface. The US Open, though, has brought a semblance of familiarity of late in the often wild world of women's tennis.

The past three female champions in New York are the top three in the world rankings: No.1 Aryna Sabalenka (2024), No.2 Swiatek (2022) and No.3 Gauff (2023). It's in this backdrop that Sabalenka arrives at Flushing Meadows with more than just a title defence riding on her.

As the holder of the throne, much of the spotlight will be on her to not only extend this fami...