World number one Aryna Sabalenka has advanced to the US Open quarter finals after overcoming American Taylor Townsend 6 4, 6 3, keeping her bid for an unprecedented third consecutive women’s singles title at Flushing Meadows firmly on track, as reported by WTA Tennis and Yahoo Sports. The defending champion recovered from early serving struggles to take control of the fourth round contest, winning the final four games of the second set to close out a straight sets victory.
The victory extends Sabalenka’s remarkable US Open winning streak to 17 matches and continues a tournament campaign in which she has yet to drop a set. The Belarusian arrived in New York under pressure to protect both her title and world number one ranking, but has responded with increasingly authoritative performances as she targets a fifth Grand Slam singles crown.
Sabalenka will next face sixth seed Linda Noskova, who reached her first US Open quarter final after defeating 11th seed Marta Kostyuk 7 5, 5 7, 6 4. The Czech Wimbledon champion represents a significant test, although Sabalenka has won both of their previous meetings.
For Sabalenka, the quarter final represents another step toward a rare achievement in modern women’s tennis. A successful title defence would make her the first woman since Serena Williams between 2012 and 2014 to win the US Open three years in succession, adding another landmark to a Grand Slam career that has already established her among the sport’s leading players.
