Aryna Sabalenka hammered China’s Zheng Qinwen 6-1, 6-4 on Wednesday to book the US Open semi-finals for a third straight year.
The player who will take over the No. 1 ranking from Iga Swiatek on Monday also completed a matched set of Grand Slam semi-final spots all in the same season.,
The last to do that was Serena Williams in 2016.
Sabalenka will wait for a Thursday opponent as American Madison Keys plays Wimbledon winner Marketa Vondrousova.in the last of the quarter-final matches.
Second-seed Sabalenka needed just 74 minutes to advance into the final four, sending over three aces and breaking three times. She ended with 17 winners and a dozen unforced errors against her promising 20-year-old opponent.
“I definitely played great tennis today,” she said. “I’m happy with the win against an unbelievable opponent.
“I’ve now got another opportunity to do better in the semi-finals.”
The winner said that the enormity of reaching the top WTA ranking for the first time has yet to sink in – and is something she will deal with later.
“I have things still to do here, I’m trying to focus on the tournament. I’ll think about No. 1 when this is over.”
The 25-year-old who worked with a biomechanics specialist to improve what had been a dodgy serve in recent seasons, said that she has much more confidence now in her delivery,
“I used to be worried and put pressure on myself. But now I’m ready to do whatever I need to win the game. I just tell myself that I’m ready to play.”
Australian Open champion Sabalenka stands a perfect 7-0 in career Grand Slam semi-finals after defeating a Chinese opponent for the 13th time in 15 meetings.
Zheng was playing her first quarter-final at a major and earned Top 10 win as she beat Ons Jabeur this week.
Main photo:- US Open Day 10 Aryna Sabalenka (xxx) wins quarter final match by Roger Parker International Sports Fotos Ltd
