A Record That Echoes Serena
Aryna Sabalenka is firmly writing her own chapter in US Open history. The Belarusian two-time defending champion defeated American Taylor Townsend 6-4, 6-3 on Monday to reach a sixth consecutive quarter-final at Flushing Meadows, becoming the first woman to achieve that feat since Serena Williams accomplished it back in 2016. With 18 straight wins at the tournament now under her belt, Sabalenka is also just three victories away from matching Williams as the last player to win three consecutive US Open titles. For a player who has not always kept her cool in hostile atmospheres, this performance carried extra weight. The crowd leaned heavily toward the local favorite Townsend throughout, yet Sabalenka stayed composed and methodical.
Ten Breaks and a Key Turning Point
The match itself was far messier than the final scoreline suggests. Both players traded breaks of serve repeatedly, with ten total across the two sets and five coming consecutively right at the start. Townsend, primarily known as a doubles specialist, made a genuine impression, even leading 3-1 in the second set and forcing Sabalenka to serve out the opening set twice before claiming it. But Sabalenka responded with an immediate break back to love and then reeled off five straight games to close out the match in 75 minutes. She described the comeback in the second set as the decisive moment, saying she focused on staying present with every single ball rather than the broader pressure of the occasion. Her next challenge is Linda Noskova, the Wimbledon champion and Czech sixth seed, who needed six match points to beat Marta Kostyuk in a dramatic three-setter. TennisDraw users had Sabalenka as one of the most popular quarter-final picks heading into this year's draw.
