New York, Sep 3 (EFE).- Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka defeated China’s Qinwen Zheng on Tuesday and will face American Emma Navarro in the semifinals of the U.S. Open.
World number 2 Sabalenka advanced to the quarter-finals, beating Zheng, seventh in the WTA and Olympic gold medallist in Paris 2024, with a crushing 6-1 and 6-2 in one hour and 13 minutes of play.
Fresh from winning the WTA 1,000 in Cincinnati, Sabalenka gave Zheng no chance to avenge her defeat to her in the Australian Open final last year.
This is the fourth consecutive semi-final at the New York Grand Slam for Sabalenka, who also reached the final last year but lost the title to American Coco Gauff (No. 3).
Since Serena Williams from 2011 to 2016, no tennis player until today had qualified for four or more consecutive semi-finals at Flushing Meadows.
Sabalenka will face Navarro (No. 12) for a place in the final, who defeated Spaniard Paula Badosa (No. 29) 6-2 and 7-5 in one hour and 12 minutes.
This will be the first Grand Slam semi-final for the American.
With the New York crowd likely to support Navarro in the semi-final, Sabalenka joked on court that she would buy drinks for fans at Arthur Ashe Stadium tonight in exchange for their support in the match.
