“What an incredible player she is, approaching the net, what a great returner, moving well, very brave,” Sabalenka said after her first meeting with the fiery player from Chicago. “You can see how focused she was and it was really challenging playing her, especially here.”
The second set unfolded in more traditional style, neither player facing a break point through the first three games.
It was Sabalenka who blinked first.
Looking rattled after smacking a forehand into the net to give Townsend a break point, Sabalenka offered up a weak second serve that Townsend punished with a return winner for a break and a 3-1 lead.
Sabalenka immediately broke back, however, launching a run of five straight games to take the match.
“I was like, ‘Okay, you’re down the break, just try to return the serve and put as much pressure as you can on her’,” Sabalenka said. “I was just trying to stay focused on myself and play not only point by point but ball by ball and I’m happy that I was able to turn around that second set.”
The Belarusian, who must win to have a chance of retaining her number one status in New York, will face sixth-seeded Czech Noskova for a place in the semi-finals.
Noskova needed six match points to seal a 7-5, 5-7, 6-4 victory over Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk, failing to convert two in the second set.
“I am more than relieved,” Noskova said. “This match was so tough, emotionally more so than physically.”
In the men’s draw, Alcaraz overpowered Paul for a straight-sets win to move into the quarter-finals of his first Grand Slam title since winning the Australian Open in January.
The 23-year-old world No 3 did not enter Wimbledon or the French Open, and has played sparingly since winning the Melbourne tournament due to injury and fatigue.
Since claiming the Australian Open title to complete his career Grand Slam – winning all four of the sport’s biggest tournaments – he had played just five tournaments before the US Open.
Alcaraz was in fine form against Paul, with 33 winners to Paul’s 18 – with the Spaniard making double-digit winners in every set.
He was strong on serve – saving three of the four break points he faced in the match – while he was able to attack Paul’s serve to create 14 break point opportunities of his own, converting four of them.
Alcaraz will meet the winner between eighth-seeded American Ben Shelton and Stefano Tsitsipas of Greece in the quarter-finals.
– With NZ Herald