World’s top-ranked player Aryna Sabalenka faced a tough challenge but emerged victorious against Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova at the U.S. Open, winning 7-6(1), 3-6, 7-6(10-7) to secure a spot in the semifinals for the sixth consecutive year. Sabalenka, the defending champion, had not dropped a set prior to this match, but Noskova, the Czech sixth seed, put up a strong fight with 18 aces and saving seven out of nine break points. Despite leading in the final set, Noskova faltered, allowing Sabalenka to advance.
Sabalenka, aiming for her third consecutive title at Flushing Meadows, will face either Jessica Pegula or Emma Navarro in the next round. Reflecting on the intense match, Sabalenka praised her opponent, stating, “What a battle. What an incredible player she is. I’m speechless right now because I was pushing myself to the limit this match.”
The Belarusian showcased her skills early in the match, breaking in the second game with a powerful forehand shot. However, Noskova fought back, breaking Sabalenka’s serve with strong groundstrokes to level the score. Sabalenka, known for her prowess in tiebreaks, dominated the first set tiebreak, winning the first six points.
In the second set, Sabalenka struggled to maintain her performance as Noskova took the lead with a 4-2 advantage. Noskova continued her momentum in the third set, but Sabalenka showed resilience, eventually leveling the match. In the decisive tiebreak, Sabalenka regained her form, clinching the victory with an ace and acknowledging the supportive fans for their role in her win.
In another match, defending champion Gabriela Dabrowski and her Brazilian partner Luisa Stefani advanced to the U.S. Open women’s doubles semifinals by defeating Jiang Xinyu and Zhang Shuai of China. The duo, seeded second, converted key break-point opportunities and saved all break points against them to secure a straight-sets victory. Dabrowski, a two-time U.S. Open doubles champion, is set to face the winner of the upcoming match between Erin Routliffe and Aldila Sutjiadi or Robin Montgomery and Ashlyn Krueger in the next round.