Aryna Sabalenka exemplified consistency in 2025 and arrives for the November 1-8 tournament having retained her US Open title in September, after finishing runner-up to Madison Keys at the Australian Open and Coco Gauff at Roland Garros.
Aryna Sabalenka is the first woman to win back to back US Open singles titles since Serena Williams in 2014.
Naomi Osaka battled past Donna Vekic in straight sets to reach the French Open third round for the first time since 2019, continuing her impressive comeback run at Roland Garros.
World number two Iga Swiatek joined a growing chorus of players demanding more privacy off the courts at the Australian Open after cameras captured Coco Gauff in a post-match meltdown that the American said should have been a personal moment.
'I just don't want to face that hate again.'
Elena Rybakina qualified for the WTA Finals' last four, beating an error-prone Iga Swiatek 3-6, 6-1, 6-0 on Monday, while Amanda Anisimova beat fellow American Madison Keys 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 in Riyadh.
A visibly emotional Putintseva lost 6-0, 6-0, in a match lasting only 44 minutes.
Iga Swiatek bulldozed her way to a maiden Wimbledon title on Saturday to take her Grand Slam tally to six
World number one Aryna Sabalenka brushed aside Marta Kostyuk 6-4, 6-3 in the Brisbane International final on Sunday to retain the title without losing a set ahead of her bid to reclaim the Australian Open title this month.
Aryna Sabalenka shocks fans with topless holiday post after Wimbledon heartbreak.
Elena Rybakina rallied from a set down to beat Russian fourth seed Ekaterina Alexandrova 3-6, 6-0, 6-2 and win the Ningbo Open title on Sunday, as her late surge to reach next month's WTA Finals gained momentum.
Both US Open champions share a fun connection off the court: They were born on the same day, May 5.
The 35th-ranked Bencic did not do a lot wrong but was broken twice in the first set and three times in the second as a sizzling Swiatek brought her A-game to what turned into a one-sided contest.
American Jessica Pegula defeated compatriot and defending champion Madison Keys to make the Australian Open quarter-finals.
Tough road for defending champion Keys
Iga Swiatek heads into Melbourne Park with the Australian Open title the only gap on her Grand Slam resume, but the world number two is keen to avoid setting herself targets for the new season and says her main goal is to improve her game.
World number two Jannik Sinner survived a stern test from Joao Fonseca on Tuesday to reach the Indian Wells quarter-finals.
Twice defending champion Jessica Pegula crashed out of the Canadian Open after losing to Anastasija Sevastova 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 in the third round on Friday, while six-times major winner Iga Swiatek marched on with a dominant 6-2, 6-2 win over Eva Lys.
Top trio eye Grand Slam glory with Sabalenka targeting third Australian Open crown
Defending champion Jannik Sinner, who has been recovering from illness, received a more favourable route to the US Open final than Carlos Alcaraz while Aryna Sabalenka will be tested in her bid to retain her title after the draw was made on Thursday.
The day session attendance of 51,048 was some 10,000 short of day six on Friday and even less than last year's corresponding session.
Iga Swiatek, who beat American 13th seed Amanda Anisimova 6-0, 6-0 in the Wimbledon final on Saturday to win her sixth Grand Slam title.
IMAGES from the French Open played at Roland Garros, in Paris, France, on Sunday.
Pavlyuchenkova beats Kartal to reach last eight despite line-calling glitch
Earlier, Pegula secured a breezy 6-2, 6-3 victory over the already-eliminated Jasmine Paolini and said she would work out a strategy for her next opponent despite knowing there was a slim chance of an exit if Gauff prevailed in three sets.
Iga Swiatek arrives at the US Open with her sights set on a seventh Grand Slam title and a potential return to World No. 1 to cap what she calls a remarkable year of redemption following "the worst experience of my life".
Defending champion Simona Halep was knocked out of the French Open 6-2, 6-4 by 17-year-old American Amanda Anisimova in a quarter-final shock.
While off-court battles over pay and governance rumbled on, opportunities were scarce beyond the duopoly at the top of the men's game, leaving Djokovic to provide the year's standout moments for the chasing pack.
'I had a deja vu moment on court. I had match point on the same side of the court, went for the same serve and was telling myself the same things. I had goosebumps, it was really special. It's great to win here again.'
American teenager Amanda Anisimova, fresh off an impressive run at Indian Wells, beat China's Wang Qiang 6-3, 1-6, 6-2 at the Miami Open on Tuesday to set up a second round clash with Spanish third seed Garbine Muguruza.
Top seed Jessica Pegula survived a tough test to beat Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-2, 2-6, 7-5 in a topsy-turvy Charleston Open semi-final on Saturday and will face compatriot Sofia Kenin in her fourth championship match of the season.
Images from Day 8 of the 2024 Australian Open in Melbourne on Sunday.
Carlos Alcaraz, 22, reached his eighth Grand Slam semi-final and will continue his quest for a third successive Wimbledon title.
Aryna Sabalenka returns to the US Open as the reigning champion and bookmakers' favourite, but her 2025 season has been anything but smooth sailing.
Sabalenka relied on her trademark powerful serve to hold firm in the key moments, winning two tiebreaks to take her tally to 18 for the season, the most by any women's singles player in the professional era.
Iga Swiatek was the latest top player to suffer an upset loss in Montreal as the Wimbledon champion
List of Wimbledon women's singles champions after Iga Swiatek beat Amanda Anisimova in the final on Saturday:
Aryna Sabalenka showed nerves of steel and champion's resolve to defeat Elena Rybakina in their Berlin Open quarter-final on Friday, saving four match points in the final-set tiebreak.
IMAGES from Day 1 of the US Open played Flushing Meadows, New York, United States, on Monday.
Australian Open winner Madison Keys became the latest seed to tumble out of Wimbledon 2025.
