Sabalenka reaches fourth US Open quarter-final in a row

Aryna Sabalenka reached nan US Open quarter-finals for nan 4th twelvemonth successful a statement pinch an assured triumph complete Elise Mertens.

Second seed Sabalenka, beaten by Coco Gauff successful nan New York last past year, saw disconnected her erstwhile doubles partner Mertens 6-2 6-4.

The Belarusian deed 41 winners and saved each 8 of nan break points that Belgium's Mertens created.

Sabalenka is nan first female to scope 4 consecutive women's singles quarter-finals astatine Flushing Meadows since Serena Williams successful 2016.

She has now made nan quarter-finals aliases amended successful her past 8 Grand Slam appearances.

Her past conclusion earlier that shape came astatine nan 2022 Australian Open, wherever she was beaten by Kaia Kanepi successful nan 4th round. She has not mislaid a lucifer successful Melbourne since, winning nan title successful 2023 and defending it successful January this year.

She will look either Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen aliases metallic medallist Donna Vekic for a spot successful nan semi-finals.

Sabalenka hit Zheng successful nan Australian Open last earlier this twelvemonth but she has struggled against Vekic, beating her conscionable doubly successful 8 meetings.

Paula Badosa earlier breezed past Wang Yafan 6-1 6-2 to group up a quarter-final against Emma Navarro, who ended Gauff's title defence successful a three-set win.

Former world number 2 Badosa is into a 2nd Grand Slam quarter-final aft a difficult fewer years.

Badosa first collapsed done successful 2021, winning nan Indian Wells title earlier a tally to nan past 8 of that year's French Open.

However, a accent fracture successful her backmost ruled her retired of nan 2nd half of nan 2023 play and has troubled her since.

She has not won a title since January 2022 and considered status aft struggling pinch nan effect of nan injury.

"A fewer months ago, I was reasoning to discontinue this athletics because I stopped believing successful myself and my wounded wasn't responding," Badosa said.

"The debased constituent for maine was astatine nan mediate of nan season. There were moments that I didn't cognize what to do.

"In my mind I was thinking, possibly I should discontinue because if I'm not successful nan highest level, I don't want to play this sport.

"So to beryllium backmost is simply a dream travel true."