NEW YORK: Aryna Sabalenka glided effortlessly into her fourth successive US Open semi-final, while Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe ignited excitement by arranging an all-American clash in the final four, much to the delight of spectators at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Tuesday.
Second-seeded Sabalenka required just 73 minutes to dismantle China’s Olympic gold medalist Zheng Qinwen with a decisive 6-1, 6-2 victory, setting up a face-off with American Emma Navarro. With a playful twist, she even promised fans complimentary drinks as a token of appreciation for their support in the forthcoming match.
The Belarusian powerhouse has surrendered a mere four service games throughout the tournament, solidifying her status as the frontrunner to claim another major title, adding to her two Australian Open trophies, after falling short in last year’s Flushing Meadows final against Coco Gauff.
“When you reach the top-five echelon, people tend to view you as the favorite,” Sabalenka remarked.
“But as I always say, it’s not about being the favorite; it’s about how fiercely you’re willing to battle for it. The key moments in matches will test you, especially when you’re not feeling your best, and you must push through them.
“However, I’m really pleased that they consider me a favorite, and I’ll give my utmost to hoist this exquisite trophy.”
Fritz, the 12th seed, thwarted world number four Alexander Zverev’s bid for his first major title, securing a 7-6(2), 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(3) victory, just two months after ousting the German in the fourth round at Wimbledon.
“I’ve had numerous opportunities at quarter-finals over the past couple of years, but today felt different,” Fritz confessed.
“I genuinely felt it was my moment to take it to the next level.”
Fritz claimed a tightly contested first set in a tiebreak, as the two towering athletes captivated the crowd with a blend of powerful baseline exchanges, deft drop shots, and sharp net play.
Zverev rallied to even the match in the following set, energized by a remarkable shot that curled from wide of the court, brushing the net post before landing perfectly on both lines. Yet, Fritz reclaimed momentum to reach his first-ever major semi-final.
‘Incredibly Challenging’
Tiafoe, who reached the semi-finals in 2022, secured another spot after Grigor Dimitrov was forced to retire due to a leg injury, trailing 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-3, 4-1.
“It’s not the way I wanted to advance, but I’m thrilled to be through. Another semi-final here—unbelievable,” said 20th seed Tiafoe. Both Tiafoe and Fritz are vying to end the 21-year drought for an American male Grand Slam champion since Andy Roddick’s triumph in New York in 2003.
World number two Sabalenka marches into the US Open quarter-finals.
This will mark the first all-American men’s major semi-final since Andre Agassi defeated Robby Ginepri at the 2005 US Open.
In the opening match of the day session, 13th seed Navarro continued her rapid ascent to the upper echelons of tennis, defeating Spain’s Paula Badosa 6-2, 7-5 in a showdown of New York-born baseliners.
One of the two remaining US women in the tournament, Navarro broke early to lead 3-0 in the first set and fended off two break points to clinch it convincingly.
Navarro, who had ousted defending champion Gauff in the previous round, stunned an error-prone Badosa by claiming 24 of the last 28 points of the match, wrapping up the win in just 72 minutes.
“Things weren’t looking promising in the second set, but I just tried to stay mentally tough and hang in there,” Navarro explained.
“I felt that if I could grind out a few longer points and apply some pressure, I might be able to stage a comeback and possibly close it out in two sets. I’m pleased with how I managed to do that.” Navarro’s compatriot Jessica Pegula is set to face top seed Iga Swiatek in their quarter-final on Wednesday.