Aryna Sabalenka responds to US Open crowd backlash against Coco Gauff incident.

Aryna Sabalenka expressed gratitude to New York City for a warm welcome at the US Open despite facing boos during her opening match on Sunday. The world No 1 and defending champion won her first-round match against Rebeka Masarova in straight sets (7-5, 6-1) after receiving a hostile reception. The crowd's reaction stemmed from Sabalenka's previous comments about Coco Gauff after losing to her in the French Open final, where she admitted regret and apologized to Gauff for her unprofessionalism.

Sabalenka, who wore headphones as she entered Arthur Ashe Stadium, seemed to ignore the initial boos and did not face further hostility during the match. Following her victory, she praised New York tennis fans on Instagram and thanked them for the warm welcome. In the next round, Sabalenka will face Polina Kudermetova from Russia, while Gauff is set to start her US Open campaign against Ajla Tomljanović from Australia.

Both Sabalenka and Gauff aim to bounce back from disappointments at Wimbledon, where Gauff was defeated in the first round by Dayana Yastremska, and Sabalenka lost in the semifinals to Amanda Anisimova.