The WTA side of things continues to heat up as the second week of the US Open nears its much-anticipated final this upcoming weekend.
Reigning two-time Australian Open champion and world number two Aryna Sabalenka dismantled Olympic gold medallist Zheng Qinwen (1-6, 2-6) en route to yet another Grand Slam semi-final appearance for the Belarusian superstar.
Sabalenka—who’s only dropped a set in the entire tournament so far—displayed her immense power behind the racquet as she blasted groundstroke after groundstroke, to which her disgruntled opponent had no answers for.
Meanwhile, Emma Navarro reaches the semi-final of a major tournament for the first time in her career when she knocked Spain’s Paula Badosa out (2-6, 5-7).
Navarro, who is ranked 13th in the world, will aim for the stars as she faces Sabalenka next.
Sabalenka is favoured to win it all
The quarter-final meeting between Sabalenka and Zheng was a rematch of the Australian Open final earlier in the year, and another US Open quarter-final last year. Same as the one earlier today, those last two encounters were also straight set victories in favour of the hard-hitting Sabalenka.
The first game was a tight one, with Zheng forcing a couple deuces before conceding an error as Sabalenka closes things out. Zheng was then immediately broken in the next game, before Sabalenka faced a break point after an unforced error. However, Zheng herself was error-ridden throughout the match and yielded three straight misfires of her own as she went down 0-3.
The Chinese sensation held her serve in the fourth game to finally get on the board, but it would be the last one she’ll get in the set as Sabalenka ruthlessly battered her with shots she’s unable to return.
Zheng tried her best to hang on in the next set, but it was, ultimately, a lost cause. Sabalenka was way too powerful and measured, finishing the match in an hour and 13 minutes.
And as she powers through everyone in her path, the SBOTOP US Open 2024 odds tout her as the eventual champion, should she continue her form and blaze through her remaining opponents.
“If you get to the Top 5 level, anyway, everyone will take you as a favourite. But as I always say, it’s not about being favourite, it’s about how hard you’re ready to fight for it. It’s going to be tough moments in the matches when you don’t feel your best and you have to go through it,” she said.
Sabalenka won 39 service points to Zheng’s 22, had 21 receiving points and converted 16 winners in her win.
Just how far can Navarro go?
Had you told the majority of fans that Emma Navarro would be a Grand Slam semi-finalist before the year ends, then a good chunk of them would probably laugh at the idea or brush it off as something wishful.
Well, eat your hearts out and take a peek at the remaining women in contention
Emma Navarro is now a Grand Slam semi-finalist. Win or lose against Sabalenka, no one can take away this career-best result—in her hometown major, no less.
Despite winning the first set, Navarro was pushed against the wall when Paula Badosa increased her level and went 5-1 up; a deciding set was almost certain at that point in time.
But Navarro, along with an Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd fully behind her, rallied furiously and snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.
Badosa’s 35 unforced errors and seven double faults helped Navarro’s cause largely, with the latter having better percentages on service and receiving points, along with winning the point every time she approached the net.
“I just wanted to stay really tough and stick in there. Even if I did lose the second set, I wanted to kind of set the tone for the third set,” she said.
Prior to this win, Navarro shocked everyone when she disposed of defending champion and world number three Coco Gauff in three sets. In more US Open updates, the other bracket will play their quarter-final matches tomorrow, starting with Beatriz Haddad Maia vs Karolina Muchova, followed by Iga Swiatek vs Jessica Pegula.
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