By Amy Tennery
NEW YORK, Sept 6 (Reuters) – Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka will take on Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova in the U.S. Open quarter-finals, after the two battled their way into the final eight with confident wins on Sunday.
World number one Sabalenka broke down the defences of 96th-ranked American Taylor Townsend to win 6-4 6-3 in a competitive contest that belied the gulf in their rankings, neutralising the inventive left-hander with a largely pristine display.
“It was really challenging, and going through tough challenges and overcoming those challenges, it definitely gives you strength and really strong belief that you can do it,” said Sabalenka. “These kind of matches are really, really, really like a boost of confidence.”
Sixth seed Noskova showed her mettle in a 7-5 5-7 6-4 victory over Marta Kostyuk, collapsing to the court in relief after sealing the contest with an unreturnable serve on her sixth match point.
The Czech’s run is her deepest at Flushing Meadows and continues a remarkable season in which she claimed her maiden Grand Slam title at the All England Club.
Five American men reached the fourth round this year, the most since 1995, with four of them on Sunday’s schedule.
Tommy Paul was already in action against second seed Carlos Alcaraz at Arthur Ashe Stadium, while Alex Michelsen faced Argentina’s Tomas Martin Etcheverry on the Grandstand.
Frances Tiafoe keeps the American charge going against the 2021 champion Daniil Medvedev while eighth seed Ben Shelton is due to kick off the night session on Ashe against Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Greece’s Tsitsipas has enjoyed a surprise run at a tournament where he typically struggles, having crashed out before the third round in his last four appearances. He faces an in-form Shelton, who is peaking at just the right moment after winning in Montreal last month.
American third seed Jessica Pegula will close the schedule at Louis Armstrong Stadium against a familiar foe, having beaten Romanian Sorana Cirstea three times before, most recently during her run to the Cincinnati final.
Pegula’s compatriot Emma Navarro plays Anna Kalinskaya in the final match of the night on Ashe.
(Reporting by Amy Tennery in New YorkEditing by Toby Davis)
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