Vulnerable Sabalenka and wide-open men’s draw set stage for US Open drama

Defending champion arrives at Flushing Meadows in poor form and with a host of challengers looking to usurp her Under any normal circumstances Aryna Sabalenka would not have lost her third round match at the Cincinnati Open last week. For all of her unforced errors, indecisiveness and the obvious tension surrounding her tennis, the world No 1 had led the unheralded Sára Bejlek 5-1 in the first set tie-break and then 4-1 in set two. She gave herself more than enough chances to close out a…