Aryna Sabalenka smiles during a post-match interview after securing her spot in the US Open 2024 quarter-finals. © Twitter (@TheTennisLetter)
Aryna Sabalenka, the world number two, showcased her dominance again at the US Open, storming into her fourth consecutive quarter-final with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Elise Mertens. The Belarusian star, the runner-up in New York last year, put on a clinical display, hitting 41 winners and saving all eight break points she faced.
Sabalenka’s victory marks an impressive milestone. She becomes the first woman since Serena Williams in 2016 to reach four consecutive women’s singles quarter-finals at Flushing Meadows. Her remarkable consistency in Grand Slams continues, as she has reached the quarter-finals or better in her last eight major appearances.
Sabalenka’s last defeat before the quarter-final stage came at the 2022 Australian Open, where Kaia Kanepi ousted her in the fourth round. Since then, she has been unstoppable in Melbourne, winning the title in 2023 and defending it in January 2024.
Next up for Sabalenka is a clash with China’s Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen, who defeated Donna Vekic in a marathon match that lasted nearly three hours, ending at 2:15 AM local time—making it the latest finish in a women’s US Open match. Aryna Sabalenka will be confident heading into this encounter, having defeated Zheng in the Australian Open final earlier this year.
Meanwhile, former world number two Paula Badosa is also making headlines after cruising past Wang Yafan 6-1, 6-2 to set up a quarter-final against Emma Navarro. Badosa, who has faced a challenging few years due to a stress fracture in her back, is now in her second Grand Slam quarter-final. Her return to form is a testament to her resilience, as she admitted to contemplating retirement earlier this year.
In doubles action, Britain’s Heather Watson and her American partner Asia Muhammad fell short in a hard-fought third-round match against Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, losing 6-1, 5-7, 7-5.
As the US Open quarter-finals loom, the excitement builds. Sabalenka is leading the charge, determined to go one step further than last year and claim her first US Open title.
