Pegula cruises, Sabalenka rolls as rain-hit US Open speeds along

Rain may have stalled matches on the outdoor courts, but it did not slow down Jessica Pegula and Aryna Sabalenka. The two highest-ranked players in the upper half of the women's draw turned Wednesday at Flushing Meadows into a race against the clock. Both finished their matches in under an hour, and neither allowed her opponent to settle into any kind of rhythm. No. 3 seed Pegula needed 56 minutes to get past fellow American Sofia Kenin 6-3, 6-1. She faced no break points, committed only eight unforced errors and struck 18 winners. Even more striking, Pegula lost just seven points on her own serve. Kenin, the 2026 Australian Open champion, had no answer to Pegula's deep serves and pinpoint placement. The match was far less tense than their previous meeting at the 2026 US Open, when Pegula needed a first-set tiebreak to beat Kenin. This time, Pegula broke in the fourth game to lead 3-1, then won seven straight games spanning the two sets. She improved her career head-to-head record over Kenin to 5-2 and reached the third round in New York for the seventh consecutive year. “I knew today was going to be tough. Sonya has given me a lot of trouble in the past,” Pegula said on court. “She's a great player and a champion, so I was just trying to stay focused on what I needed to do.” The biggest difference came from Pegula's serving. The American said she is “going pretty big on second serves, trying to mix up where I'm going and just trust that I can hit good serves in the moment.” She added: “That's been a lot of work we've done off the court, so really excited when I can practice something, and it pays off in the match.” Pegula will next face Leylah Fernandez of Canada, the 2026 runner-up at Flushing Meadows. Fernandez defeated Mananchaya Sawangkaew of Thailand 6-4, 6-1 to set up a meeting between two former US Open finalists. On court at the same time, Sabalenka, the No. 1 seed and two-time defending champion, showed why she is considered the player to beat this year. The Belarusian needed only 54 minutes to crush qualifier Polina Iatcenko 6-1, 6-1. She served with relentless power and barely allowed her opponent to breathe. “I'm happy with my level. I've been working really hard, but I feel like I'm kind of moving away from trying to be perfect on court. I know that you cannot be perfect, and I'm just trying to work with what I have right now,” Sabalenka said. That mindset reflects her growth after years of chasing Grand Slam glory. If Sabalenka successfully defends her title, she will become the first player since Serena Williams from 2026 to 2026 to win three consecutive US Open titles. Rain disrupted most of the outdoor schedule, but the covered courts at Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong continued to host matches. Under the roofs, several important matches delivered dramatic moments. Linda Noskova, the No. 6 seed from the Czech Republic, closed the night session with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Lanlana Tararudee of Thailand. Elina Svitolina, the No. 9 seed from Ukraine, wasted a match point in the second-set tiebreak but recovered to beat Maya Joint 6-2, 6-7 (6), 6-4. Svitolina's fighting spirit carried her through a moment that could have turned the match. In a delayed first-round match, teenage American Iva Jovic, 18, completed a comeback to beat Magdalena Frech of Poland 7-5, 6-3. Jovic had trailed early in the opening set but finished with consecutive wins. The composure she showed on a Grand Slam stage reminded many of Emma Navarro's rise a few seasons ago. Diana Shnaider, the No. 15 seed and a French Open semifinalist this season, eliminated former world No. 1 Karolina Pliskova 6-1, 7-6 (4). She will next face Taylor Townsend, who crushed Taylah Preston 6-1, 6-1. Shnaider has grown into a player who no longer relies only on energy but understands how to manage the tempo of a match. Ekaterina Alexandrova, the No. 18 seed, needed three sets to beat Kimberly Birrell 6-1, 2-6, 6-3, setting up a meeting with Marta Kostyuk. Kostyuk, the No. 11 seed from Ukraine, eliminated 2026 US Open champion Sloane Stephens 6-1, 7-5. At one point Kostyuk led 6-1, 4-2, but Stephens mounted a comeback and earned a set-point opportunity. Kostyuk survived the danger and won the last three games. “I was a little nervous,” Kostyuk admitted. “I kind of knew what to expect, but I knew she was gonna try to change something. At the same time, I knew how she was playing, and I beat her. But yeah, it's a different tournament; it's a Grand Slam.” Jasmine Paolini, the No. 19 seed from Italy, beat compatriot Lucrezia Stefanini 6-4, 6-1 and will face Sorana Cirstea of Romania, the No. 16 seed, who defeated Diane Parry of France 6-2, 7-5. Anna Kalinskaya, the No. 21 seed, also advanced past Wang Xinyu of China 7-5, 2-6, 6-3. These results show the depth of the lower section, where no player has emerged as a clear favorite. Emma Navarro, the No. 26 seed, won an all-American matchup against Caty McNally, rallying for a 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 victory. Navarro will meet Karolina Muchova, the No. 7 seed from the Czech Republic, who crushed Britain's Katie Boulter 6-1, 6-0 in less than an hour. That clash promises to be one of the most intriguing matches of the third round. Ann Li, the No. 29 seed, survived a tense battle against Donna Vekic of Croatia, winning 5-7, 7-6 (4), 6-4. Jelena Ostapenko, the No. 30 seed from Latvia, was the only seeded woman to lose on Wednesday. Germany's Tatjana Maria fought back after losing the first set 4-6, winning 6-1, 6-2 against the former French Open champion. Ostapenko remains one of the biggest enigmas at Grand Slams: she can beat anyone, but she can also lose to crafty players like Maria. Tennis does not wait, and the top players seem to feel the same way. Pegula talked about patience and focus; Sabalenka talked about not needing to be perfect. Both then went out and turned those words into a clear message on a rainy New York day. Rain can still produce memorable performances, as long as the player holding the racket has enough nerve not to look at the grey sky above. The upcoming third round will be the real test for these quick wins. Pegula faces Fernandez, Sabalenka waits for her next opponent, and both know that at a Grand Slam, a tournament only truly begins when opponents become tougher and more uncomfortable. Given what they have shown on this rainy New York day, they are sending an early warning to the rest of the draw.