Three breaks in a row, and the escape route closed
Taylor Townsend led 3-1 in the second set on Sunday. She had just broken the world No. 1, the Flushing Meadows crowd was hers, and an upset looked live. Then Aryna Sabalenka won three straight games on the return and the whole thing was over.
6-4, 6-3 in 1h15. Sabalenka is into the US Open quarter-finals, still chasing a third title in a row.
The first set was scrappier than the scoreline lets on. Sabalenka dropped serve in each of her first two service games, three times across the set in total. She survived it by punishing Townsend on the American’s own delivery, breaking four times before finally holding to close it out.
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Six aces to two, and none of it mattered
Townsend served the bigger deliveries. Six aces against two. Everything after that leaned Belarusian: 54% of points won behind her own serve, against 43% for Townsend.
Sabalenka had time for her opponent afterwards. “What an incredible player,” she said, picking out Townsend’s net game, her return and how well she moves. The crowd had spent two sets willing the American on. Sabalenka thanked them anyway.
Kostyuk or Noskova, and neither is a gift
Next comes the winner of Marta Kostyuk against Linda Noskova, the No. 11 seed against the No. 6 seed and reigning Wimbledon champion. They play Sunday as well.
“It’s really tough, and I think it’s important to focus on yourself and put as much pressure as possible on the other side of the net,” Sabalenka said of a draw with no soft edges. She has not lost a match on this court in two years.
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