Posted in: 06/09/2022 – 07:46Last updated: 06/09/2022 – 07:44
New York (AFP) – Belarusian Arina Sabalenka, ranked sixth in the world, reached the quarter-finals of the US Open, the last Grand Slam of tennis, for the second year in a row, where she faces Czech Karolina Pliskova (22) runner-up in 2016.
Sabalenka, 24, who is seeking her first title this year, beat American Danielle Collins (19), who reached the final of the last edition of the Australian Grand Prix earlier this year, 3-6, 6-4, 6-2.
Sabalenka confirmed her superiority over Collins with her fourth victory in the same number of matches that brought them together, knowing that she had beaten her opponent in the first round at Flushing Meadows in 2018 and last year in the third round.
The Belarusian overturned her group delay and managed to overcome a foot injury to decide the match in her favour, which witnessed a total of 20 direct fouls, including 12 for Collins.
Sabalenka set up a quarter-final match with Pliskova, who had previously struggled to beat fellow countrywoman Victoria Azarenka (26) 7-5, 6-7 (5-7), 6-2.
The 30-year-old Czech qualified for the quarter-finals of Flushing Meadows for the fifth time.
Before facing the price of the final, the tie dominated the situation between the two players in the confrontations between them, as each of them won four matches, before the Czech, who seemed more aggressive (35 successful strikes once morest 46), outperformed and decided the match in her favour following 3 hours.
“Victoria is a very big and dangerous player,” Pliskova said of her opponent following the match. “The match was very close and the points were long. It wasn’t easy.”
© 2022 AFP
