Overview
- Sabalenka beat Taylor Townsend 6-4, 6-3 on Monday to reach her sixth consecutive US Open quarterfinal and will face Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova next.
- She has not dropped a set through four matches at Flushing Meadows and has not lost more than four games in any set so far.
- Elena Rybakina stands to reclaim the world No.1 ranking if she reaches the semi-finals, which puts added stakes on Sabalenka’s progress in the draw.
- Commentators praised Sabalenka’s intensity and clutch shot-making but flagged clear weaknesses in her game, noting repeated service breaks and visible self-criticism during matches.
- That mixed picture matters because Sabalenka won the Sunshine Double in March but went 20–7 without a title afterward, so her run in New York is an encouraging sign that does not yet prove a full turnaround.