Sabalenka storms through with new No. 1 status

Aryna Sabalenka won her debut match since clinching the No. 1 WTA ranking for the first time hours earlier, reaching the US Open quarter-finals 6-1, 6-3 over Daria Kasatkina on Monday.

 The second seed ascended to the top spot on the Tour as Iga Swiatek lost in the fourth round here, ending 75 weeks atop the table.

The new top player said she had hoped to face off with her rival in the final with everything at stake.

“I thought Iga would make it to the final, I just hoped that I could also,” she said.,

“I wanted to have a battle and decide it all on court. I’m sad that she lost.

“I was pushing myself so hard today, I really wanted to reach this goal (No. 1)

“It means a lot to me, my family… it’s something crazy and I still can’t believe it.”

Sabalenka wasted no time in imposing her will on Kasatkina, sweeping the opening set and exchanging breaks with her opponent to start the second as her juggernaut gained momentum.

The reigning Australian Open titleholder, who followed up with semi-finals in Roland Garros and Wimbledon, ended a run of three breaks of serve as she claimed a 2-1 lead in the second set.

Sabalenka clinched a double break in the second set, leading 5-2 but threw in some unforced errors to lose serve as she tried to serve out the win.

But a game later Kasatkina sent a return into the top of the net to yield a Sabalenka match point, which the seed pounced on for victory, her 48th of the season against 10 losses.

“It’s always tough matches with Daria,” saba;enka said after winning her fifth from seven meetings.

“I’m happy with the performance. I put her under pressure.”

Sabalenka will face off next against China’s Zheng Quiwen, who shocked 2022 runner-up Ons Jabeur 6-2, 6-4.

The loss by the Tunisian – finalist at three Slams over the past two seasons –  came 18 hours after last year’s champion Iga Swiatek was also ushered to the exits in a loss to Jelena Ostapenko.

Jabeur had been suffering here with a virus which seriously impacted her game.

The fifth seed was unable to make an impression in the fourth-round match, taking the loss on Zheng’s fourth match point.

The 20-year-old winner  will be playing in her first major quarter-final after defeating a Top 10 player for the fourth time.

“I feel just super-happy and excited to play in the big stadium,” the winner said after victory on the Armstrong court.

“Ons is a fantastic player with a lot of variation in her game – this was an impressive win for me today.

Zheng was successful 10 of the 13 times she went to the net as she followed her game plan in the 81-minute victory with 21 winners and 17 unforced errors.

“I know my game has to be aggressive. A couple of times in the match was was too defensive, she got her chance and broke me.

“I have to take the match on my own. This is an amazing win for me, I want to enjoy it a bit more.”

A disappointed Jabeur explained what went wrong for her.

“It was a tough match, probably she played a good game. 

“It was not my day today, being in the fourth round, just a bonus. I wasn’t expecting to even play at the beginning, so.

“We’ll get back to work and hopefully we’ll improve more for sure.”