Aryna Sabalenka is embracing being labeled as the favorite to win this year’s US Open after storming into the semi-finals on Tuesday.
The second seed dropped just three games during her 6-1, 6-2, win over recently crowned Olympic champion Qinwen Zheng and has only dropped one set in the tournament so far. In her latest match, the Belarussian won 67% of her service points and produced 16 winners.
Sabalenka is currently on a 10-match winning streak with three of those victories being over top 10 players. Before New York, she beat Iga Swiatek and Jessica Pegula en route to the Cincinnati Open title. Given her surge in form, many are tipping Sabalenka to go one step better than her run to the US Open final 12 months ago and win the title this year.
“If you get to the top-five level, everyone will take you as a favorite,” Sabalenka explained during her press conference.“But as I always say, it’s not about being favorite, it’s about how hard they’re ready to fight for it, you know, and it’sgoing to be tough moments in the matches when you don’t feel your best and you have to go through it.
“It’s all about that. But I’m really glad they take me as a favorite and I’ll do my very best to hold this beautiful trophy.”
The 26-year-old has established herself as one of the most consistent players at Grand Slam events. She has reached the semi-final stage in eight out of the last nine she played. Sabalenka is also the first woman to reach the semi-finals of both the Australian Open and US Open in back-to-back years since Serena Willians.
As for the key to her consistency at these events, she links it to having more experience in the sport.
“I became a more experienced player and I think I have better consistency in the game right now,” she said.
“When you just coming up on tour, making the second week (of a Grand Slam), it’s something crazy and you see stuff like crazy. You put so much pressure on yourself about the Grand Slams, the results and everything.
“I didn’t know how to manage that pressure. On those days off I would think too much about tennis and I would justwaste my energy on that.
“Nowadays, I’m just trying to take things easier. I’m just trying to bring my best tennis every time and just trying to fight for it, and I know that no matter what’s gonna happen on the court, I’m gonna fight for it.”
The next opponent for Sabalenka will be Emma Navarro, who knocked defending champion Coco Gauff out of the tournament. Navarro is enjoying a fairytale run at the US Open where she hadn’t won any main draw matches until this year. The American won her first WTA title earlier this year in Hobart, Australia.
The two players are tied at 1-1 in their head-to-head. Sabalenka won their meeting at the French Open but lost to Navarro in Indian Wells.
“The last two matches we played were really tough matches physically and mentally.” Said Sabalenka.
“Even though I won the last one in two sets, it wasn’t that easy match, and it was very intense.
“I’m gonna try to put so much pressure on her and probably try not to let her do her stuff.”
Should Sabalenka win the US Open, she will become the first female player to win both hardcourt majors within the same season since Angelique Kerber in 2016.
