Aryna Sabalenka reaches 3rd straight U.S. Open semifinal

No. 2 seed Aryna Sabalenka stormed into her third straight U.S. Open semifinal Wednesday with a 6-1, 6-4 victory against No. 23 seed Qinwen Zheng of China in New York.

Sabalenka has not dropped a set so far in Flushing Meadows and never faced a break point during her 73-minute quarterfinal win against Zheng.

"I think I definitely played great tennis today," Sabalenka said in her on-court interview. "Super happy with the performance. I have myself another opportunity to do better in the semis."

The 25-year-old Belarusian reached the final four at all four Grand Slam events this season, winning the Australian Open and losing in the semifinals at the French Open and Wimbledon. Serena Williams was the last woman to make all four Grand Slam semifinals in 2016.

Sabalenka started fast in sunny conditions, winning 22 of the first 27 points to open up a 5-0 lead. She converted 3 of 7 break chances, including the seventh game of the second set to take control.

Zheng, 20, was playing in her first major quarterfinal and finished with 13 winners and 16 unforced errors.

Up next for Sabalenka is either No. 9 seed Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic or No. 17 Madison Keys. Sabalenka lost in the semifinals here to Leylah Fernandez in 2021 and Iga Swiatek in 2022.