The Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, 2nd in the world and assured of becoming No. 1 at the end of the tournament, qualified on Wednesday for the semi-finals of the US Open by eliminating the Chinese Qinwen Zheng (23rd) 6-1, 6 -4. “I played very well, I am very happy with my match and to have another chance to go further at the US Open,” said the 25-year-old, winner of the Open in January. Australia and who had lost the last two years at the semi-final stage at Flushing Meadows.
“I have things to do at the US Open”
She will try Thursday to reach her second Grand Slam final by facing the Czech Marketa Vondrousova (9th), surprise winner of Wimbledon in July, or the American Madison Keys (17th), finalist of the New York tournament in 2017.
Since the elimination in the round of 16 of the Polish defending champion Iga Swiatek, Sabalenka is guaranteed to become world No.1 on Monday when the new WTA rankings are published. “I’m obviously happy to become N.1, it’s very important, but I have things to do at the US Open this year, she commented. I’ll think about N.1 when it’s over .”
A first since Serena Williams
Sabalenka is the first player to reach the final four of the four Majors in the same year since Serena Williams in 2016. For her part, Zheng had never previously progressed beyond the third round at the US Open nor the round of 16 at a Grand Slam ( achieved at Roland-Garros in 2022). If she had beaten last year’s finalist Ons Jabeur in the round of 16, Zheng did not weigh heavily against Sabalenka. She didn’t even see the light of day in the first set where Sabalenka won 25 of the 34 points played.
In a quarter of an hour Belarus led 5-0. The Chinese then won her first game, but could not prevent her opponent from completing the first set in 27 minutes. No break point to defend, two break points converted out of five, seven winning points for three unforced errors (against 2 and 7 for Zheng), Sabalenka crushed this first round.
The game then balanced out until Sabalenka broke the break to lead 4-3, taking advantage of an unforced error from Zheng, the 14th of 16 in the end. The Chinese held her final face-off by saving a first match point in passing, to force Sabalenka to serve to win the game. What she did without trembling by concluding on her second match point.