Aryna Sabalenka, the hard-hitting Belarusian, continued her impressive run at the US Open 2024, reaching her fourth consecutive semifinal. She overpowered China’s Zheng Qinwen in a dominant 6-1, 6-2 victory on Tuesday.
Sabalenka, the second seed, showcased her trademark powerful forehand, putting immense pressure on Zheng throughout the match. Zheng, fresh off her Olympic gold medal win, appeared drained and struggled with her serve, making only 44% of her first serves.
“She’s such an aggressive player,” Sabalenka said of her opponent. “She’s playing such incredible tennis and it was very tough facing her.”
The Belarusian took control early, breaking Zheng’s serve in the second game. She added another break in the sixth game, capitalizing on Zheng’s unforced errors.
Sabalenka maintained her momentum in the second set, limiting her unforced errors to just six. Zheng struggled with her backhand, leading to breaks of serve in the first and fifth games.
A powerful backhand winner at the net secured the penultimate point for Sabalenka, and she ultimately sealed the victory with an unreturnable serve.
Next up for Sabalenka is American Emma Navarro, a formidable opponent whom she previously defeated in the fourth round at Roland Garros. However, Navarro triumphed on the hard courts of Indian Wells earlier this year, so Sabalenka knows she’s in for a tough battle.
“She’s a great player,” Sabalenka said of Navarro. “I saw her matches here, she’s playing incredible tennis, and yeah, it’s going to be a great battle. I’m really looking forward to facing her again.”
