NEW YORK, Aug. 29 -- On a Thursday afternoon at Flushing Meadows, a draw card settled Aryna Sabalenka's path to history.

The No. 1 seed and two-time defending US Open champion opens the 2026 edition against Colombia's Camila Osorio on Sunday, beginning what could be the most consequential three-week stretch of her career. Win here, and Sabalenka becomes the first woman since Serena Williams to hold three consecutive US Open titles, a feat that places its owner in a very small club in professional tennis.

The women's singles main draw was released Thursday, setting the stage for the year's final Grand Slam. Five of the six women who have won the last six Grand Slam singles titles appear in this draw. Every matchup carries implications. ...