Two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka emulated Serena Williams as she ultimately overpowered American Taylor Townsend to succeed in a sixth straight US Open quarter-final.
A topsy-turvy contest featured 10 breaks of serve, however Sabalenka recovered from 3-1 down within the second set to seal a 6-4 6-3 victory with a fifth consecutive sport.
It was the Belarusian's 18th consecutive win on the match, extending her three-year unbeaten streak following back-to-back triumphs in 2024 and 2025.
Sabalenka, 28, is the primary girl to succeed in six consecutive singles quarter-finals at Flushing Meadows since American nice Williams in 2016.
Six-time champion Williams was additionally the final participant to win three US Open titles in a row, and Sabalenka is now three wins from matching that feat.
She is going to face Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova for a semi-final place, after the Czech sixth seed required six match factors to beat Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk in a rollercoaster 7-5 5-7 6-4 win.
Regardless of the simple scoreline, this was a tough match needing a resilient show from Sabalenka, who additionally had the overwhelming majority of the gang in opposition to her.
In that context, this was a powerful victory for the four-time main winner, who has not at all times managed to take care of her composure in equally testing eventualities.
"I used to be simply making an attempt to remain targeted on myself, not solely level by level however ball by ball," Sabalenka stated.
"I'm completely satisfied I used to be in a position to flip across the second set, I believe it was a key second."
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The match started with 5 successive breaks of serve – largely on account of wonderful returning by each gamers – but it surely was Sabalenka who lastly took cost.
Doubles specialist Townsend, who walked out sporting a protracted, black-feathered outfit, continued to frustrate Sabalenka and compelled her to serve out the set on the second alternative, earlier than making the breakthrough within the second set.
However Sabalenka, conscious she should elevate the trophy to have an opportunity of retaining her primary rating, produced a direct reply as she broke again to like and dashed to the end line, wrapping up the victory in 75 minutes.
Pegula wins to deliver down curtain on Cirstea's Grand Slam profession
American third seed Jessica Pegula introduced down the curtain on Sorana Cirstea's Grand Slam profession with a 6-3 6-4 win over the Romanian.
Cirstea is ready to retire on the finish of 2026, regardless of it being among the finest seasons of her 20-year profession.
In Might, the 36-year-old turned the oldest participant in rankings historical past to make her high 20 debut and he or she presently stands at a career-high seventeenth following a run to the quarter-finals on the French Open.
She additionally reached the third spherical on the Australian Open and Wimbledon, whereas she lifted the fourth WTA title of her profession at her house match in Cluj-Napoca.
However Cirstea missed out on a 3rd main quarter-final as Pegula got here by a tough take a look at that noticed 11 breaks of serve, securing victory on her third match level.
"I simply informed her I don't know if you happen to're nonetheless going to play subsequent yr, however you’re taking part in nice and I stated I’ve loads of respect for you," Pegula stated when requested what she informed Cirstea after they embraced on the internet.
Pegula, the 2024 runner-up to Sabalenka, will proceed her chase for a 3rd straight US Open semi-final when she faces fellow American Emma Navarro, who defeated Russian Anna Kalinskaya 6-4 6-2.
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Earlier on Sunday,Noskova's sense of reduction was clear as she crouched to the bottom having taken her sixth match level – about an hour after incomes her first.
The 21-year-old served for the match within the second set, however missed her first two match factors as Kostyuk battled again from 5-3 right down to power a decider.
Noskova didn’t take her subsequent two match factors within the deciding set, whereas she missed her fifth match level after saving a break level, lastly getting over the road on the finish of an emotionally draining two and a half hours on courtroom.
"I’m greater than relieved – this match was so robust, emotionally a bit greater than bodily," stated Noskova, who missed 5 championship factors earlier than lifting the Wimbledon title this summer season.
"At present was very shut, it might have ended each methods. With all the possibilities I had within the second set, it was robust to nonetheless form of restart."
Within the girls's doubles, British pair Harriet Dart and Maia Lumsden misplaced 6-2 6-2 to Spain's Cristina Bucsa and American Nicole Melichar-Martinez, the sixth seeds.
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