Two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka kept her US Open title bid on track with a controlled 6-3, 6-4 win over Kamilla Rakhimova in the third round, moving into the last 16 and extending her push for a fifth major crown.

Playing in a packed Louis Armstrong Stadium during a hot morning session, the world number one broke early in the opener and dominated on serve, finishing with four aces and losing only four first-serve points.

Sabalenka later described the experience as a dream, saying it was her first time playing a morning match in front of a full stadium and that she was grateful for the atmosphere.

Rakhimova raised her level in the second set, holding serve more comfortably and saving four break points, but Sabalenka eventually manufactured the crucial break with an aggressive return before closing out the match on her own serve.

Sabalenka praised her opponent’s resistance, noting that Rakhimova pushed her hard and helped bring out her best, and expressed satisfaction at finishing in straight sets.

The victory stretched Sabalenka’s US Open winning streak to 16 matches, putting her in line to become the first woman since Serena Williams (2012–14) to win three consecutive titles in New York.