Sabalenka overcomes tricky Townsend test at US Open

Two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka fought through an intense bout with American Taylor Townsend to reach her sixth straight US Open quarter-final. The grueling match saw 10 breaks of serve, but Sabalenka bounced back from a 3-1 deficit in the second serve to clinch a 6-4, 6-3 victory, extending her unbeaten streak at the tournament to 18 matches.

With this, the Belarusian becomes the first woman to reach six consecutive singles quarter-finals at Flushing Meadows since Serena Williams in 2016. She now needs three wins to match Williams' record of three US Open titles in a row. Sabalenka will face Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova in the semi-finals after the Czech sixth seed secured a dramatic 7-5, 5-7, 6-4 win over Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk.

Despite being outnumbered by the crowd, Sabalenka demonstrated resilience, emphasizing the importance of staying focused during the match. She praised Townsend's skills, calling her "an incredible player" with "great returning" and "brave."