Aryna Sabalenka vs Taylor Townsend Prediction 9/6/2026 Today’s Tennis Picks

Two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka will face Taylor Townsend in the fourth round of the 2026 US Open. The match is scheduled for Sunday, September 6. Here’s our Aryna Sabalenka vs Taylor Townsend prediction. This preview will include an Aryna Sabalenka vs Taylor Townsend pick.

Aryna Sabalenka vs Taylor Townsend Preview

Aryna Sabalenka delivered a clinical performance in the third round, where she beat Kamilla Rakhimova in straight sets. Sabalenka hit 29 winners and committed 19 unforced errors in the match. She tallied 10 aces and only one double fault. Sabalenka landed 65% of first serves in play and won 76% of first serve points (31/41). She won 73% of second serve points (16/22) and did not face a single break point in the match.

Before this round, Sabalenka beat Camila Osorio and Polina Iatcenko in straight sets. She has not dropped a set all tournament and is on a 16-match winning streak at the US Open. Sabalenka improves to 43-8 for the season, but is currently No. 2 in the live rankings behind Elena Rybakina. The Belarusian is powerless to stop Rybakina from wrestling the No. 1 ranking if the Kazakh keeps winning in the tournament.

Taylor Townsend knocked out 15th seed Diana Shnaider in three sets to make the last 16 of the US Open for the third time in singles. Townsend outplayed the Russian and served for a straight sets win, but eventually prevailed 6-2, 6-7, 6-3 in two hours and 29 minutes.

In the victory, Townsend hit 39 winners and committed 30 unforced errors. She hammered 5 aces and committed 2 double faults. Townsend landed 64% of first serves in play and won 69% of first serve points (47/68). She won 51% of second serve points (20/39) and saved 10 out of 12 break points.

Aryna Sabalenka vs Taylor Townsend Head-To-Head

Remarkably, this will be their first-ever meeting at the WTA level.

Aryna Sabalenka vs Taylor Townsend Prediction
           

I like Sabalenka to progress, but this won’t be as routine as the odds indicate. Townsend has been serving with ridiculous confidence all tournament and has the variety to trouble Sabalenka and complicate the Belarusian’s life in this match. This is the second straight year Townsend has reached the second week of the US Open, so she loves these conditions. But this is the type of stage where I would expect Sabalenka to shift gears and continue to handle the pressure of being the defending champion brilliantly. Expect Sabalenka to progress, potentially in two tight sets.

Nur Said's Pick: Sabalenka in straight sets