Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus) qualified for the quarter-finals of the US Open and will top the WTA rankings from next Monday after the reigning champion Iga Swiatek dropped out from the competition.
The second-seeded Aryna Sabalenka defeated Daria Kasatkina (Russia) by 2-0 (6:1, 6:3) in 75 minutes of play.
The Belarusian player was definitely better on the court, making 31 winners against only 7 for her opponent. Although she also made more unforced errors, definitely her aggressive style of play helped to get the victory and advance to the quarter-finals,. where will face Qinwen Zheng (China), who eliminated the 5th-seeded Ons Jabeur (Tunisia) by 2-0 (6:2, 6:4).
“I had no doubt that Iga would reach the final. I was sad that she lost because I didn’t want to become No 1 like that. I want a fight for that. But being on top still means a lot to me. This year I worked hard to achieve this goal and I still can’t believe I did it”, said Aryna Sabalenka, who triumphed at the Australian Open in January this year.
Iga Swiatek‘s defeat also means there will be a new women’s champion at the New York tournament this year, with Aryna Sabalenka is one of the biggest favoruites.
“At the moment I am focused only on the US Open. I don’t want to celebrate anything before the tournament is over. I don’t want to be distracted”, commented Aryna Sabalenka, who is the only top 5 player to continue in New York, after Iga Swiatek, Jessica Pegula, Elena Rybakina and Ons Jabeur dropped out.
“I was number 2, now I am number 2. Of course, this is a great achievement, one of my goals. But that doesn’t change anything. I still have to give 100% on the court. My opponents have nothing to lose against me, I want them to show their best tennis, so sometimes it’s even more difficult. Anyone can beat anyone. I’m trying to focus on myself and improve my game. I want to show my best in every match”, concluded Aryna Sabalenka.
