New York (AFP) – World number one Aryna Sabalenka charged into the US Open quarter-finals on Sunday, beating American Taylor Townsend 6-4, 6-3 to keep her bid for a rare US Open three-peat alive. Sabalenka needed all of her resolve against the multi-faceted Townsend. The match opened with five breaks of serve before Sabalenka managed a comfortable hold for a 4-2 first-set lead.
Townsend’s blistering service returns and the net prowess of the world’s second-ranked doubles player flummoxed the Belarusian star. She double-faulted to hand Townsend a break in the second game, and Townsend broke again in the fourth with a massive service return. But Sabalenka’s sustained power and precision proved a little too much. Townsend broke her as she served for the set at 5-2, but by the time the American managed a hold for 5-4, it was too late, and Sabalenka held serve for just the second time to pocket the set, saving a break point before putting it away with a trademark forehand winner.
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The second set unfolded in more traditional style, with 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. The Belarusian, who must win to have a chance of retaining her number-one status in New York, will face either sixth-seeded Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic or 11th-seeded Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk for a place in the semi-finals.
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