Two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka secured her place in the US Open quarter-finals by defeating American Taylor Townsend 6-4 6-3, emulating Serena Williams’ historic streak at Flushing Meadows.
The top seed faced a stern challenge from the doubles specialist, who pushed Sabalenka to serve for the first set at 5-4 and claimed a break in the second set to lead 3-1. However, the Belarusian responded immediately by breaking back to love, signaling a shift in momentum that saw her lose only five points across the final five games of the match.
The victory marks Sabalenka’s 18th consecutive win at the tournament and her sixth straight quarter-final appearance, the first time any woman has achieved this feat since Williams in 2016. She is now three wins away from matching Williams’ record of three consecutive US Open titles.
Despite the straightforward scoreline, Sabalenka acknowledged the difficulty of the contest, noting the hostile crowd environment. “I was just trying to stay focused on myself, not only point by point but ball by ball,” she said. “I’m happy I was able to turn around the second set, I think it was a key moment.”
Sabalenka will next face Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova for a spot in the semi-finals. The sixth seed survived a dramatic encounter against Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk, requiring six match points to win 7-5 5-7 6-4 in an emotionally draining two-and-a-half-hour match.
Noskova expressed relief after the victory, stating, “This match was so tough, emotionally a bit more than physically. Today was very close, it could have ended both ways.”
Following a fourth-round exit at Wimbledon earlier in the season, Sabalenka is now aiming to end a major title drought that dates back to 2022. She has not fallen short of the US Open semi-finals since 2020.
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