Aryna Sabalenka has faced criticism this season for not always controlling her emotions, a storyline that has followed her through a year without a Grand Slam title after losing the world No 1 spot.

Yet Jessica Pegula, who fell to the 28-year-old in straight sets in the US Open semi-finals, offered a different reading of Sabalenka’s temperament. Speaking on The Player’s Box Podcast, Pegula said Sabalenka is at her best when she is “angry”.

“ She [Sabalenka] plays so well when she’s angry. I can’t do that. When I get angry I start overhitting and I get mad. It does not work for me. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone play so well when she is visibly pissed off.

“Someone might hit a couple of good winners but then it doesn’t hold up. Not a lot of people can do that, but she does that. It is hard to do that and sustain it through a match. She is more of an emotional player but that is how she plays well.

“She’s good at playing with emotion. Everyone’s so different and you have to find out what works for you. She definitely can’t hold things in but it works for her.”

Former Australian Open Madison Keys, who beat Sabalenka Down Under in 2025, echoed that view. She said, “You want to actually keep her [Sabalenka] not angry. I can’t really imagine her playing tennis normal, she wouldn’t do well.”

Sabalenka’s emotions have not always stayed in check this year. At the French Open, she led Diana Shnaider by a set and two breaks before losing 10 games in a row in a quarter-final defeat. Even so, her record remains formidable, with four majors and 106 weeks as world No 1.

Last week, Sabalenka lost the No 1 ranking to US Open champion Elena Rybakina, who beat her in three sets in the final. How she responds over the rest of the 2026 season will be one of the key questions after a difficult year at the top.

Rising WTA player Sara Bejlek has become the latest withdrawal from the Singapore Open as the Asian Swing draws closer.

The WTA 500 event begins on 21 September and is headed by French Open champion Mirra Andreeva. The field also features former Wimbledon and US Open finalist Amanda Anisimova, while Alex Eala is the third seed. Maja Chwalinska, who reached the French Open final, is among the top eight seeds, and Leylah Fernandez enters as the sixth seed with a wildcard. Defending champion Elise Mertens will also return to the event, which has now been upgraded from WTA 250 status.

The tournament has shifted from its previous slot in late January and early February to an indoor hard court setting in late September.

Bejlek’s absence is a notable one. The 20-year-old has produced a strong 2026 season, winning her first WTA Tour title in Abu Dhabi in February and reaching the semi-finals in Cincinnati last month. That run included victories over world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka, two-time major champion Barbara Krejcikova, and former Australian Open winner Madison Keys. She began the year ranked 76th and has since climbed to a career-high of 28. Among players under 21, only Andreeva, Iva Jovic, and Victoria Mboko are ranked higher.

Bejlek now appears set to miss Singapore after her quarter-final run in Guadalajara. There is no indication of injury, and on Friday she posted several Instagram photos from her time at the Mexican event. Tatiana Prozorova has replaced her in the draw.

Jessica Pegula is another major absentee after saying she withdrew because of a “ long and physically demanding few weeks “. Other withdrawals include Diana Shnaider, Sorana Cîrstea, Anastasia Potapova, Ekaterina Alexandrova, Ann Li, and Clara Tauson.

Andy Roddick has identified the third-round meeting between Alex Eala and Iva Jovic as one of his favourite matches from the US Open.

The two friends had already shared court during US Open Fan Week on Arthur Ashe Stadium, when they played a practice set and both of their fathers briefly joined them on court. Jovic won that exhibition 6-3, continuing a strong run in the rivalry after straight-set victories over Eala at the French Open and Queen’s Club earlier in the year. Across those two matches, the Filipina managed only 10 games in total.

Their night-session clash at Flushing Meadows told a different story. In front of the crowd, Eala and Jovic produced a demanding three-set battle that lasted three hours, with the American eventually edging it 7-5, 3-6, 7-5. Jovic then fell to Coco Gauff in the following round.

Even so, Roddick was deeply impressed by both players, who are inside the WTA Tour’s top 20. Eala, 21, and Jovic, 18, have drawn attention for their rapid rise, and Roddick believes the sport benefits from their presence at this level.

On Served, he said, “You know what match was one of my favourites of the entire tournament? Eala and Jovic. Do you want two prospects who can be at the business end of a Slam one year? Yes.

“Do you want them to have their first big night stage session and let them carry it? Check. Do you want them to be gracious, classy and compete their a**** off? Check. Do we want to raise their profile so we have megastars in the game? Yes.

“Do you want one to be humbled by the victory and one to be gutted by defeat but in the right way and still go hug her? Yeah. They did themselves such a service. That was probably my favourite moment of the first week.”

Eala has been described as the WTA Tour’s brightest emerging star, while Jovic is actually two places higher in the rankings at No 16 compared with Eala’s No 18. For Roddick, their performance on one of the tournament’s biggest stages offered a promising sign for women’s tennis.