New York, Sept 7 (AFP\/APP):Aryna Sabalenka reached the US Open semi-finals for a second successive year on Wednesday with a 6-1, 7-6 (7\/4) win over Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic.<\/p>\n
The 24-year-old from Belarus will face either world number one or French Open champion Iga Swiatek or Jessica Pegula of the United States for a place in Saturday’s final.<\/p>\n
World number six Sabalenka, also a Wimbledon semi-finalist in 2021, fired seven aces and a total of 30 winners past Pliskova, the 2016 runner-up in New York, without facing a break point.<\/p>\n
“I expected a great level with long rallies. I wanted to stay in the match and make her work,” said Sabalenka.<\/p>\n
The Belarusian has lost three times to Swiatek in 2022 without winning a set while holding a 3-1 career advantage over Pegula.<\/p>\n
“They are both tough opponents. I will have to fight and do my best. I’m ready for a great battle,” she added.<\/p>\n
Sabalenka is making the most of her great escape in the second round in New York when she saved two match points against Kaia Kanepi having been a set and 1-5 down.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, she raced through the first set in just 28 minutes on the back of three service breaks.<\/p>\n
The 30-year-old Pliskova managed just a single winner in the opener while serving up five double faults.<\/p>\n
Czech world number 22 Pliskova saved two break points in the eighth game of the second set but was unable to halt Sabalenka’s drive to the last four.<\/p>\n
Swiatek is the first Polish woman to reach the last-eight in New York in the modern era and is the only player left who knows what it’s like to win a major title.<\/p>\n
The Pole has defeated Pegula twice in 2022 in her title-winning runs at Miami and Roland Garros.<\/p>\n
Swiatek also boasts a season-leading 54 match wins this year, a stretch which has yielded six trophies.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
New York, Sept 7 (AFP\/APP):Aryna Sabalenka reached the US Open semi-finals for a second successive year on Wednesday with a 6-1, 7-6 (7\/4) win over Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic. The 24-year-old from Belarus will face either world number one or French Open champion […]<\/p>\n
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