Seth Wenig/AP
Aryna Sabalenka is one of the favorites to win the US Open this year.
CNN –
Aryna Sabalenka showed why she is one of the favorites to win this year’s US Open after putting in a dominant performance against Zheng Qinwen on Wednesday to reach the semi-finals.
The world number 2 defeated the 20-year-old from China 6:1 and 6:4 at the Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Zheng was no match for Sabalenka’s big serve and powerful shots as the Belarusian confidently moved into the final four of the US Open.
After a few early, high-profile exits, Sabalenka is the highest seed in the draw and looks to be the player to beat.
“I think I definitely played great tennis today,” Sabalenka said in her on-court interview. “Super happy with the performance. I have another chance to do better in the semifinals.”
For a place in the final she will face either Wimbledon champion Markéta Vondroušová or American Madison Keys.
Seth Wenig/AP
Sabalenka replies to Zheng on the way to victory at the US Open.
Iga Świątek’s early exit from the US Open means Sabalenka will definitely become world No. 1 for the first time on Monday.
Her rise to the top of the world rankings comes after a remarkable year in which she won three titles, including her first Grand Slam at the Australian Open.
She continued this dominant form against Zheng in the quarterfinals, blowing away her opponent in an opening set that lasted just 27 minutes.
The break between sets allowed Zheng to regroup and begin to grow into the game. The young player more than held her own against Sabalenka as the pair exchanged serves at the start of the second set.
This happened until the seventh game of the set, when Sabalenka managed to break Zheng’s resistance and move ahead with a crucial break of serve.
Try as she might, Zheng was unable to hit back and the Belarusian turned the game away with ease.
It will be Sabalenka’s third consecutive US Open semifinal as she aims for her second Grand Slam title in 2023.
Sabalenka – who is making her fifth consecutive Grand Slam semi-final – has now won the first seven major quarter-finals of her career, making her second on the all-time list behind Chris Evert, who amazingly won her first 48s tournament.